2019

Pah-La

Written by Abhishek Majumdar

Play Details

Context

Artistic Director
Vicky Featherstone

Dates Performed

Wednesday 3rd April 2019
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

Form

Beyond-linear narrative Ensemble piece Original full length in English Over 8 cast

Play Details

Synopsis

A Tibetan nunnery, where the clash of tradition and modernisation ignites a firestorm of political and personal upheaval.

Deshar, a young Tibetan nun, sets herself ablaze in a desperate act of protest against Chinese occupation, sparking a chain reaction of violence, interrogation, and spiritual reckoning. As her father Tsering grapples with his own violent past and conflicted loyalties, Chinese inspector Deng pursues a confession with increasingly brutal methods, all while searching for his missing daughter in a city engulfed by riots.

Abhishek Majumdar’s “Pah-La” is a searing exploration of political oppression, religious faith, and the cycle of violence that consumes both the oppressed and the oppressors. Through a non-linear narrative that weaves together intimate personal moments and sweeping political upheaval, the play examines the clash of ideologies between Buddhist non-violence and revolutionary action. Raw, poetic dialogue and surreal interludes punctuate the brutal realism of interrogation scenes, creating a haunting meditation on the nature of truth, sacrifice, and the devastating cost of cultural erasure.