Sabine Lehmann, the German lady living in Nepal for more than two decades, is an ardent believer of this principle. A successful hotelier with a beautiful theater in tow, she seems to have stricken a perfect balance between her passion and profession.
Lehmann gets candid about art, nature, modernity and her latest play “The God of Carnage,” by Yasmine Reza, with The Week.[break]
How would you describe yourself?
I am an entrepreneur, an actor, a director and a playwright. Hotel Vajra is one of the oldest hotels in Nepal. But its identity is not just limited to that. We have a theater here by the name of Naga Theater. Studio 7 is the production unit that usually performs here. The hotel provides a strong financial background for the theater to run. It also helps in terms and food, space and props. Vajra is my profession. On the other hand, Naga Theater helps me express and emote. It gives artists a platform to start out, grow and develop. Now that is my passion. I also let orphanages use it at times and I don’t charge them anything. I believe everybody should have the right to express.
Bhaswor Ojha
How did you come to Nepal?
It was a long, long journey. I was born in Berlin. And I always had a strong desire to see the world. I was also very interested in theater. I even went to theater schools back then. While in Berlin, I met an American theater group. They took me with them to America. That is where I learnt to build ships. The same American theater group started a project round the world. So I got a chance to travel far and wide. I have traveled half the world on a sail ship. I have crossed the Atlantic into the Red Sea. I have also covered The Indian Ocean. And it was during this travel spree that I landed up in Nepal. The theater group had a project here as well.
So what was Nepal like when you first came here?
There was so much space. There were cauliflowers, carrots and cabbages all over the place. There were fields and temples and pati pauwas where people could take shelter for a night free of cost. No house was built higher than a temple. There were trees and chautaris which provided fresh breath of air. When I first came here, Hotel Vajra was just starting to be built. A talented American architect had been working on this venture. It was being built according to the traditional Nepali structure with aankhijhyaals and carvings from Patan. However, there was one difference. It was being built in an earthquake-proof manner. So the locals were quite suspicious. They looked on skeptically at that unnaturally deep foundation and those big strong pillars and wondered what on earth was happening.
You have traveled so much. How do you feel about it?
I think traveling is one of the best teachers in the world. It gives you experiences like nothing else can. When you travel a lot, you understand the world better and that helps you get closer to the human soul.
Having traveled all over the world and lived in Nepal for so long, in what ways do you find this country different from the others?
Keeping a balance between the traditional and the modern is a tricky affair. In Nepal, spiritual experiences are still alive and breathing. The Machhindranath and other jaatras, cultural fests and festivals are good examples. So materialism has not completely taken over. However, I still miss that clean, green Kathmandu which is slowly being swallowed up by the emerging concrete jungle. Nepal is so rich in nature and culture. So why not create a market of national goods? And why smell a perfume when you have such beautiful flowers? Every country has its good times and bad times. But the only thing that bothers me about Nepal is that the rest of the world is pushing in. And if this continues, the old and original Nepal will become nostalgia, a mere memory.
What does theater mean to you?
Theater, for me, is life. Each time it is new in its relation to the audience. Anything can happen anytime. Everything may go right or everything may go wrong. There are different types of
audience. There is generous audience and there is reserved audience. I love being on stage and being a part of this give-and-take relationship. It is a thrilling world to belong with.
What is the theater scene like in Nepal at present?
I believe it needs more financial backing. We have really talented theater people in Nepal. A lot of hard work and rehearsals go into a stage production before it is brought out onto the stage. And I want to salute the contemporary theaters like Gurukul, Mandala and Sarwanam for their work. I find them commendable and laud worthy.
You believe you have stricken a perfect balance between your passion and profession?
I deeply believe in following what Buddhism teaches us. You should be able to find a middle way between spirituality and materialism. You should learn to find equilibrium between your body and soul. You cannot afford to lose either of those two. You have to find a mid point. This is exactly what I am doing. In the world of modernity and industrialization, crowded with cement and concrete, a leaf, a flower or a bird become a rare sight. I have done all I can to preserve nature out here. I grow my own vegetables. I keep things green and simple. I run a hotel successfully and I do need the money at the end of the day. But I also take it at parallel with art, aestheticism and expression. So I find myself somewhere between the two extremes.
You are directing a new play. What is that about?
I love acting as well as directing. And I am having a great time working with all these talented actors. The play is called “The God of Carnage.” It is written by Yasmin Reza, a French-Iranian playwright. It is about modern life and modern people. It is about the egocentric arrogance of the modern world. It is about the horror story that takes place when people lose touch with their souls and commoditize themselves while riding the swelling tide of consumerism. The play is a sort of a warning bell. In the day of industries and apartments, human relationships are on the verge of distortion and destruction. You hear of bomb blasts and killing sprees all the time. So the play shouts and pleads for humanity to be restored. This is a play for intellectuals and for those who understand and care.
What are your plans for the future?
I just want to keep working with my theater and hotel. But I am getting old now. And if my health permits, I would like to get into movies.
younitya@gmail.com
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