Kathmandu:

Mandapika Art Group staged Yo Prem at the Sama Natakghar on January 1. Written by Gopal Prasad Rimal more than six decades ago, the group had premiered the play for the first time in the National Theatre Festival 2062 BS.

Divided into three acts, the play was rich in text and the story had to be told with dialogue rather than gestures and movements. We got know about the characters through their own words, their interaction with other characters and their expression of feelings. The scriptwriter has made the very efficient choice of words and phrasing. However at times, the diction was audible to audience at the back of the theatre. The central character, Shekhar, also had some problems in articulation. The lighting was not given enough attention making it difficult to distinguish the time of the day.

The play probes deeply into the psychology of characters, examines human emotions and deals with the personal guilt of characters. We learn about the pain of separation, longings for the loved one and the guilt of not being faithful to one’s spouse. The play has been successful in depicting the conflict within a person, featuring realistic examinations of the complex characters.

Life had given a fair chance to the lovers to get reunited after their spouses’ demise, however, contrary to the expectations of the audience who believed that Shekhar and Ganga would ultimately unite overcoming their personal guilt, the play ends in tragedy.

The actors seem to be in a world of their own, unaware of the audience’s presence.

The scenery and costume resemble the contemporary clothing of 1940s. The setting is that of a living room. Though the play was written in 1940s, it has been able to attract the director of the modern age. And director Mahesh Shrestha has been successful in attracting the attention of the contemporary audiences.

The performance will be continued till January 5.