STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, in association with J and K Academy of Art Culture and Languages organised screening of world famous play ‘When We Dead Awaken’ written by Henrik Ibsen and directed by India’s most celebrated internationally acclaimed Theatre Director Ratan Thiyam here at Abhinav Theatre.
Welcoming the gathering at Abhinav Theatre Jammu, Regional Director ICCR, Balwant Thakur said that as a part of the follow-up of the historic programme ‘An Interaction with Ratan Thiyam’, it was necessitated that out of the world works of Ratan Thiyam are shown to Jammu theatre lovers and practioners. Though there is no alternative to the live performance but at least this initiative of ICCR and J&K Cultural Academy will go a long way in exposing the J and K audiences to the best of the theatre works being produced world over, he added.
The play opens with Saktam Lakpa and Sakhenbi. They meet Lamlanba, a hunter, who invites Sakhenbi to go to the mountains with him. One of the guests at the hotel is a mysterious woman dressed in white and accompanied by a nurse. This turns out to be Saktam. She has been married twice, and has been in a mental hospital. She seems to be in the grip of a “living death”, and in a painful confrontation she accuses Saktam Lakpa of having ruined her life and stolen her soul. For his part he begs her to come back to him so that he can regain his creative power. The two of them go up into the mountains to become lovers again. Near the top they meet Sakhenbi and Lamlanba. A storm blows up, and Sakhenbi and Lamlanba go down the mountain into safety, while Saktam and Saktam Lakpa go on towards the peak, where they die.
Dr. Arvinder Singh Amn Additional Secretary J&K Cultural Academy presented vote of thanks and the show was conducted by Anil Tickoo and Aftab Singh Chauhan.
