Dilemma of a revolutionary

Kathmandu:

Powerful and poignant, the words that would best describe the story, dialogues and performance by the actors in the play Nyayapremi. Directed by Sunil Pokharel, this play was originally written by Albert Camus — Les Justes. Kalpana Ghimire has certainly done justice while translating the play. The strong emotive dialogues holds your attention and makes you think twice about the various controversies that have been shown.

“I felt the discussions about violence, revolution, and humanity in this play were relevant in today’s context in our country, so I chose this play,” says Pokharel adding, “It was a different experience for me as two of the leading characters are played by people from different professions, and it’s their first attempt.”

Appreciating their work he says, “They’ve given it their full time and were very dedicated.”

The play revolves around a group of revolutionaries who plan to kill the Czar’s uncle Duke Sergei for his dictatorship. They dream of a Russia with equality for all. The humane side of these revolutionaries can be seen as they discuss and have differences of opinions. On the first attempt, Yanik (Sanjeev Upreti) is unable to hurl the bomb as Duke Sergie is with his wife and some children. When he returns, there is a heated discussion between Stephan (Sunil Pokharel), who feels that their mission should be accomplished at any cost while the others, Vyanaf (Praveen Khatiwada), Dorya (Nisha Sharma) and their leader Borya (Dilbhushan Pathak) support Yanik’s decision to spare the others. And the play moves on.

Discussions of setting boundaries or holding no bounds to accomplish what you have set out for, the sacrifices they have made and have it been worthwhile, how the poor and rich perceive things in different lights — the dialogues portray this really well. You also come to see revolutionaries as not just creators of violence and heartless beings, but the various feelings that underlie their tasks.

This play certainly demands your attention thro-ughout, and Pokharel has successfully done it, especially with Ghimire’s dialo-gues, you get engrossed in it.

When Pokharel and his wife Nisha are both acting, the play is bound to be interesting. Acting with such veterans in the theatre field, first timers — Sanjeev Upreti and Dilbhushan Pathak

— have given praiseworthy performances. The background score managed by Kamal Mani Nepal and Chiranjivi Shrestha complements the moods and scenes in the play.

The play is on at Rimal Natak Ghar, Gurukul till September 8, except Mondays and Wednesdays, at 5.30 pm.