28th March, 2013
After about two years’ gap, I had an opportunity to watch
Nepali stage drama again. The day was special, World Theater Day, as it was
called and the place was Mandala Theater in Anamnagar. I was quite excited to
be in the theater environment after such a long time. The area seemed not that
big but was cozy and crowded. I saw in the crowd some well known faces like
Sunil Pokharel, Abhi Subedi and Bijaya Bisfot. I felt a bit nervous and was without
any company.
Soon afterwards, I was accompanied by a friend and we went
towards the hall. After being seated in the second row, I realized that the
program had already begun and we had missed the first part of it. However, I
was glad enough to be in the ambience. I could see more familiar and historical
faces in the formal program. Nisha Sharma, Sunil Pokharel, Abhi Subedi and
Satya Mohan Joshi spoke about the theater day. Then it was time for a cup of
tea.
After the tea break, drama ‘Degree Maila’ was to begin. The name
itself suggested it was a comical drama, written and directed by young artists
Saayad Ashok and Dayahang Rai respectively. Ticket rate was Rs. 100 for
students and Rs. 200 for non-students. As the latter, we headed towards the
hall and were lucky enough to grab the front row. The hall seemed almost full.
The audience was sitting on the stage too. I felt like being in Gurukul theater
years ago.
Soft music in the hall could be heard before the play began.
Few guitars, drums and other instruments seemed to warm up the audience for the
play. After few notifications for them, lucky ticket withdrawal and some
description about the play, the drama began.
The writer introduced each of the characters in a unique
way. Their positioning in a big wooden frame (that was moved by the writer once
they were introduced) looked artistic, enjoyable and lively. The drama started
in a rural setting and revolved around a character named Maila who had obtained
a Masters degree. People considered him as an intelligent person and respected
his thoughts. He was a hope for their village. However, this character is very
frustrated with his life, is a heavy drinker and dies. The villagers’ hope is
lost.
Although the drama ended sadly, it contained many comical
parts. But lengthy dialogues between Maila and his students made the audience
tired and sleepy. Light effects failed a few times. Playing background music
was not well harmonized at times.
However, the professionalism of the characters and the comical presentation
of the play need to be appreciated. I was a satisfied audience of this play on
such a remarkable day.
