Kidnapped: The pain and tension

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: It is my story and 80 per cent of it is true, and the director has added 20 per cent colour to this story”, expressed Hari Maya Bhetwal, referring to the play Maya that was staged at the Russian Cultural Centre, Kamalpokhari on June 13.

The play is based on the story of an innocent girl Maya, who has been kidnapped for crimes she is unknown to. And Bhetwal, the playwright of Maya, had once been kidnapped and she has “put forth my story in this play”.

The 37th production of M Art Theatre, director Birendra Hamal has given theatrical form to Bhetwal’s pain of being kidnapped that she had originally expressed in the form of poetry.

Maya starts with a group of students and teachers hiking to a place where Maya had been kidnapped. Reaching this remote place, the students ask their teacher about how Maya had been kidnapped. And the play goes back to the past where two gunmen are dragging a blindfolded woman. In a while, you will notice that they are the kidnappers who had kidnapped Maya who was on the way to her mother’s home. Afterwards, these abductors begin to ask her a number of questions regarding her involvement with some unspecified people. As Maya keeps on denying her association with any person or anything, they get furious and decide to kill her. You must go and watch the play to know what happens to Maya.

Sapana Singh Thakuri as Maya is quite notable — she has aptly presented the emotional and mental state of a person who knows that she is going to be killed the next day. Bhawesh Parajuli as a

cruel kidnapper, who later softens by listening to Maya’s story, is good. Meanwhile, Kushal Bista who has performed the role of leader’s assistant will often make you laugh with his comic acts.

Bir (Anil Bamjan) and Malashree (Anuja Gayak)

— the fictional characters

of Maya’s story look romantic on stage. Other

actors are okay in their

respective roles.

The stage setting is simple yet justifies the necessity of the play. The costumes are realistic — kidnappers are wearing boots, army

fatigues and tee-shirts, while Maya is in saree. Meanwhile Bir and Malashree adorn costumes like that of fairy characters.

The music is apt as the mood of the play changes, the music gets louder as the tension heightens. However, sometimes the loud music seems to be noise that will prevent the audience from listening to the dialogues that the characters are speaking.

Hamal has done a good job within the storyline of the play. He has been able to bring out the elements of pain, anger, fear, et cetera from actors. However,

if the storyline had been stronger, he could have given more. “Many people are kidnapped for no reason, and this play shows what these people might think and might have gone through reaching the mouth of death,” Hamal shared about the play.

The play is being staged at Sarwanam Theatre, Kalikasthan, everyday at 5:30 till June 29.