Play ‘The… Other World' to be performed in Pune on May 10: ‘No one will survive, regardless of wealth or status'

Indian Express

06-05-2025

As hundreds of citizens walked under the hot morning sun on April 27 to raise their voices against the Riverfront Development (RFD), it went unnoticed that not everybody was from Pune. Theatre performer Sayali Prakash was among those who had travelled from Mumbai to participate in the 'Nadi Saathi…Nadi Kaathi' march.
The concerns of the protest are reflected in a play, The… Other World, of which Prakash is a part. Written and directed by Manjul Bhardwaj, The… Other World toured five countries of Europe, which is the fastest warming continent, in 2024 and will be performed at the Bal Gandharva auditorium on May 10, 6.30 pm.
The play begins with the birth of the planet and the evolution of species, including humans. 'In the beginning, humans live in harmony with nature. After the development of agriculture, however, people become greedy. Though earth has everything that we need for life, humans begin to try to control the five elements. The element of fire, for instance, is turned into nuclear weapons to destroy others. In today's world, even taking a simple breath has become expensive. Air, water, food—everything is polluted,' says Prakash. Anybody who objects to the exploitation of nature is labeled as being against development and progress.
'The aim of the play is to make audiences think if we can find a balance between development and the environment. We understand that it is impossible to step back from where we are — we cannot give up mobile phones — but can we respect the planet in future? Through the play, we wish to explore humanity's journey from the Stone Age to the present, showcasing how progress has led us to ecological destruction. If the environment is destroyed, no one will survive, regardless of wealth or status,' says Prakash.
There are 12 performers and the play uses basic costumes and has no sets. Instead, the story is told through physical movements, with forests and rivers being conjured physically before audiences. The first 45 minute of the play has no dialogue but uses sounds to depict the birth of the planet and evolution. In the remaining 45 minutes, the performers break the fourth wall and interact with the audiences directly about shared concerns about the environment. 'In Europe, we would ask people why there were no forests though there were many parks,' says Prakash. Interestingly, the play does not use plastic and the musical instruments are made of natural elements, such as wood and stone.