Science joins forces with art and culture in the inaugural edition of the fifth Wall Theater Festival in Hyderabad. Two science inspired plays will be staged in this festival to be organized at T-Works, Raidurg on 5th July – square root of sonnet And Abdus Salam case – which traces scientific ideas and the lives of scientists.

Curated and hosted by an independent group of science communicators and theatre-makers, the festival was conceptualized with the idea of ​​bringing science and art together on one platform and connecting with society.

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The play The Square Root of a Sonnet A view of Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“We envision a fifth wall that stands between science, art and society. Our aim is to break it,” says organizing committee member Sara Haider Iqbal, referring to the separation between scientific knowledge and the public.

She says, “Science and technology are advancing at extraordinary speed. Decisions are constantly being made about what research will be funded and what scientific problems should be addressed. Yet society has little say in those conversations.”

The festival seeks to bridge that gap by using theater and art to make science more accessible and, above all, more humane.

“In India, much of science remains behind institutional walls. You have to visit a research institute to see what’s going on, and even then, access is not always easy,” says Sara. “We want to create more spaces where scientists can step out of their institutions and engage in conversations with the public. At the same time, we’re exploring how art can be a powerful way to talk about science, making it more accessible, relatable, and human.”

science in focus

The play The Square Root of a Sonnet A view of Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Both plays are written by novelist and playwright Nilanjan P. Chaudhary. square root of sonnet (4 pm to 6 pm), staged six times so far, explores the complex relationship between Nobel laureate Subramaniam Chandrasekhar and his mentor, Arthur Eddington, against the backdrop of unprecedented discoveries in astrophysics.

Abdus Salam case (7 pm to 8.30 pm) is based on the life of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Abdus Salam and was recently staged in Trieste, Italy, home of the International Center for Theoretical Physics, the institute founded by Salam.

A scene from the play ‘The Trial of Abdus Salaam’. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Festival also includes a Science Arts Showcase from 2.30pm onwards, featuring interactive demonstrations, hands-on activities and immersive creative experiences. “These experiences offer a chance to engage with science not just as a repository of knowledge, but as a deeply human story of curiosity, creativity, imagination and discovery,” says Sarah.

Organizers hope that future editions of the festival will go beyond theater to include more art forms and a wider range of science-inspired stories.

5th Wall Theater Festival, T-Works, Raidurg on July 5 from 2.30 pm to 8.30 pm; Admission is free but registration is required. To register and learn more, follow us on Instagram @fifthwalltheatre