A scene from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
An upcoming production from Last Page Collective, Earthquakepromises a poignant exploration of a universal theme: the weight of unspoken words in human relationships. Directed by Samragni Dasgupta, the play is an adaptation of The Landmark – The ErdbebenOriginally written in a fusion of English, German and Bengali, the play’s multilingual original story signals the play’s ambition to transcend cultural barriers and resonate with a global audience.
Leveraging his background in both acting and directing, Samragani has reworked the script for the local audience. He has retained the original theme but used English, Malayalam and Hindi in the dialogue, enabling actors Leslie Amol Simeon and Thammam Mubarish to fully embody their characters through their mother tongues. This linguistic diversity reflects the multicultural feel of Bangalore.
The minimal set design, a single bench, puts the focus completely on the actors and the unspoken emotions that dance between them. “The limitations of minimalism allow the audience to focus completely on the actors, and on the other hand, they challenge the actors to be completely vulnerable without being able to hide behind a set,” says Samrajni.
Assistant director Shania Matthews elaborates on the audience’s role in this intimate space: “We want the audience to feel the tension. We want them to hear every sigh, every hesitation and silence, too.”
Earthquake The play deals with the complexities of modern life, especially the lonely nature of urban existence in a city like Bengaluru. The director explains, “The play explores themes of relationships in a society that has begun to adopt a more individualistic nature. We hope that the urban, lonely life experienced by many Bengaluru residents is depicted here.”
Beyond the specificities of Bengaluru, the play reflects a universal human condition – loneliness. “The idea of this collaboration began with a conversation about loneliness,” says Samrajni.
Shania adds, “The play examines the factors that prevent us from being our most vulnerable selves. It asks the question: can we, or should we, take off all our layers in front of our partners?
The collaboration between Samragni and German playwright Marvin Krause adds another layer of depth. “We wanted to explore how a play based on stream of consciousness would work,” says Samragni. “The play is simply a conversation between two people.” Despite their different cultural backgrounds, Samragni emphasizes the human relationship that transcends these barriers: “Only after writing the play did we realize how different we are.” This inter-cultural dialogue enriches the exploration of human relationships in the play.
Earthquake The aim is not to provide answers, but to generate questions. Shania explains the audience’s role as active interpreter: “We have deliberately left clues and hints. This play is an experiment… We want to leave them with questions rather than answers, and hopefully those questions will prompt them to examine their own role in their interpersonal relationships.”
With its minimalist aesthetic, multilingual dialogue and exploration of untold truths, Earthquake The play promises to be a thought-provoking experience. It is a play that invites the audience not just to watch, but to participate, to reflect on their own relationships and the unsaid words hidden within themselves.
Earthquake (English), Directed by Samrajni Dasgupta, the play will be staged at Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore on June 5 at 7.30 pm. Tickets are available on BookMyShow.
A scene from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A scene from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
