KATHMANDU

A play Palpasa Cafe, of the same name as the novel, which was halted due to Covid-19 last year, is set to be staged from April 22.

According to a press statement released by Theatre Village, the performance that had postponed last year due to the coronavirus outbreak will be performed in the newly built Mandala Theatre's venue at Thapagaun, Kathmandu.

Based on Narayan Wagle’s Madan Puraskar winning novel—Palpasa Cafe, the play will be performed at Mandala Theatre throughout the month. According to Theatre Village, the preparation of the play is in full swing.

The play is adapted into a play by Suraj Subedi, directed by Bimal Subedi, and co-directed by Dilip Ranabhat. Several changes have been made to the cast of the play due to the delay caused in performance. Swastima Khadka was supposed to portray the role of Palpasa last year. However, Shrishti Shrestha has taken her place. Bimal Subedi, the director, will perform the character of Drishya himself. Dipesh Rai is playing the role of another lead character- Siddhartha.

The novel Palpasa Cafe is one of Nepal’s most cherished novels. It is translated into English, French, Korean, and Sinhala. The novel, which tells a story of a painter throughout a 10-year-long insurgency, had gained popularity by portraying the then changing society in simple words. The painter is taken to observe the war by his friend Siddhartha and the novel’s plot revolves around what the painter sees up close from his eyes.

“The novel's characters are beautifully embedded in the hearts of millions of people already, therefore, taking the novel into a play was a difficult task in itself”, said dramaturg Suraj Subedi. Director Bimal Subedi said that the issues raised 15 years ago are interpreted standing in the present day.

Shrishti, who has just completed the film Chiso Ashtray, previously acted in the play 'Hamlet' at Theater Village. Bimal Subedi came into the limelight after directing plays such as 'Sandajuko Mahabharat,' 'Yarma,' 'Hamlet,' and 'Malini,' and dozens of others is returning to acting after nearly a decade. He was active in acting and modeling before studying design and direction at the National School of Drama in New Delhi, India.