The 10-day long performances started with an inauguration program chaired by Satya Mohan Joshi, a senior theatre artist and culture and history expert. Professor Abhi Subedi officially declared the beginning of the Gurkul School Theatre.
Stunning performance by the students of Valley View English School on August 26 in the their home production ´Beli´ focused on the life of child labors. It’s about what the working children go through in there life and the way their emotions are affected by the behavior of their bosses.
Universal Higher Secondary School performed “Madal ko Khari,” a play based on a child psychology. The performance was worth a praise. It was basically about the impacts of situations on a child psychology and its effects in their life. It teaches the viewers to deal properly with children as their delicate mind is affected by it.
On August 29, Ullens School took on the stage with their outstanding performance polished by their teachers and seniors. The audience lauded the performance by the students on a play called “Clay” which was about a couple and way they dealth with each other. The woman is a lazy one and the man tries to handle her and co-ordinate with her. It also makes people realize the importance of hard work.
The next day saw Blooming Buds International School with a good performance and equally brilliant story based on the lives of street children called “The Endless Story.” The hard work of the students was visible in the play.
“Bundle of Hurdles” was performed next by Indreni Seconday English School. It was a play reflecting the present state of Nepal and the problems that each Nepali face in their everyday life on a present day Nepal.
Story of Madhumalati will be performed by Ideal English Higher Secondary School on today on a historic love saga that the students have tried to play out. It’s about how a child imagines himself to be a king and his love for the queen but their dream shatters. And due to some family reasons they need to separate.
Alok Vidhyashram, on August 27, performed a play titled “Bahula Kaji ko Sapana,” (Dream of Bahula Kazi) on a story of a man whose dream gets shattered due to a death of his friend’s son who dies of an illness. The students played the roles of grown up people better than anyone could have expected from them.
On September 2, Kabuliwallah will be performed by Pathshala School, based on the play written by Rabindra Nath Tagore. The skit was a part of a novel which is originally about a moneylender Kabuliwallah, who came to India from Kabul. The main character tries to fulfill his dreams in the distant land. It’s all about his life and hardships he goes thorough.
Lastly students from SOS Children’s Village in Jorpati will perform the grand finale “We Can Do!” It’s based on the life of physically challenged children and their process of growing up.
The best part of the program was the excited students whose performances stunned people like Abhi Subedi. “The acting and directing skills of the students were highly creditable. It is very important for teenager students to act as it’s easy to develop themselves and their mind when they’re young. It’s better to start loving it from now then working at it later,” he says.
Lately, a lot of youngsters have started to see growing interest in theatre and arts in Nepal’s capital. Few schools like Malpi, Rato Bangala and Shuvatara showcase their annual theatre with almost full-production by the students with some technical assistance from teachers.
Amongst others, Gurkul has been a leader in promoting the interest of youngsters in theatre in Nepal for a few years now. A metropolis now, Kathmandu has limited entertainment and artistic creativity platform for growing teens and tweens. An initiative like that of Gurukul is highly commendable.
It’s the first time Gurukul is organizing an event involving the school students but they want it to be just the beginning. They are planning to carry out this kind of event at least once a year and are looking forward for the kind response of the schools. “This time we advertised and didn’t send any notices. So, many schools who couldn’t participate came with complains about the lack of notice. That’s why we think it was a grand success,” says Jibesh Rayamajhi, the theatre co-coordinator.
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