KATHMANDU: There were a few instances when the dialogues could not be clearly understood owing to an emotional audience and their running noses, which usually follow an outburst. Another annoying aspect of watching ‘Jiudo Aakash’ at Sarwanam Theatre--and probably the only other--was quick transitions in Anil Subba’s acting and story-telling. He transforms from an exuberant lover to a suicidal character in a matter of few minutes, leaving the auditorium in shock and confusion.

He did this perhaps to make his audience feel his pain and confusion at being put down for liking a guy. The plot, actor's performance and sound effects on-stage were simply magnificent.

‘Jiudo Akash’ is the first production of Danphe Theatre. Directed by Samran Thapa and Tanka Tiger (Sangraula), the drama was a solo-performance of actor Anil Subba. It focused extensively on LGBTIQ issues, and is scheduled to be displayed at Sarwanam Theatre until Saturday. 

Giving beautiful sound effects were Binod Banjara, Biswo Kafle, Tanka Tiger and Sushant Chalise.

‘Jiudo Akash’ was more than just a play that bore a powerful socio-political message. It posed questions to Nepali conservative society that continuously denies human traits to its non-binary population and treats the latter’s emotional vulnerabilities for a laughing stock.

It was a reflection of how people like Gaurav, the protagonist of the play, are titled ‘losers’ because they dare to love the ‘unconventional’. It served as a mirror to the society that perceives LGBT population for lost individuals and endorses the idea that everything would fall to place when they marry the opposite gender.

It was a Gaurav’s story who couldn’t bring himself to come out the vicious trap of being a loser.  It was a tragic story of a boy’s desire for an identity ‘he can’t have’ and a future that his lover doesn’t believe in. It was a story everyone could relate to and not relate to at the same time. What everyone could relate to was about being restrained by society and garnering a desire to break free. What the audience could only empathize with, thanks to Anil Subba, were heart-wrenching questions posed by the protagonist such as “Mero Majboori Ko Faida Kina Uthauchas? (Why do you exploit my helplessness?)” and “Aafu Khusi Baancha Bhancha (She told me to live my life on my own terms)”.

‘Jiudo Akash’ was a proof that one need not invest a lot in creating a fancy setting on-stage when they have a strong narrative to tell. On-stage was a box, a lamp, a bird, few stools and hanging ropes that assumed shapes of a drape. The box symbolically represented Gaurav’s hideaway. He could not come out of his ‘closet’ without his wife’s support. This happened later in his life by which time he had ‘spoiled a girl’s future by marrying her’ and was so used to the closet that coming out of it demanded all of his strength.  The lamp and the bird symbolically represented the character’s desire to break free. However, they only scarcely occupied the stage, suggesting the character’s low-self esteem. The drapes, on the other hand, represented the binding aspects of the society which prevailed to stop the character from celebrating his true nature.

Speaking at the end of the event, Manisha Dhakal, a member of Blue Diamond Society (BDS), applauded the play for its realistic portrayal of hardship faced by the LGBTIQ community in Nepal. “The play reminded me of the dark days in my life,” she said, suggesting that such stories were the reason why she was involved in empowering the LGBTIQ community through BDS.