Wiesenthal will come to life in Bengaluru this weekend, courtesy of Poochu Productions

The impact of the Holocaust and all its horrors on India was minimal even when it was happening. Today its role is limited to history text books, which will be remembered and after investigation will be forgotten. However, the stories of survivors and those who faced obstacles to fight for justice deserve to be told because they are timeless.

Simon Wiesenthal was a genocide survivor who brought more than 1,100 war criminals to trial. Drama Wiesenthal Written by Tom Dugan, the story is based on his last day in office where he describes his journey as a World War II prisoner and his life’s work for justice.

Chennai based Poonchu Productions in association with Voxtour Ventures brings Wiesenthal To Bengaluru this weekend. Directed by Denver Anthony Nichols and enacted by Karthik TM, the one-man play is a moving tribute to the power of determination, purpose and hope.

Wiesenthal It was first staged in Chennai in 2022. Karthik TM, who played Wiesenthal, found the script while looking for one-man plays and shared it with Denver.

“I liked the way the script was written, the story and the World War II setting. I’d heard of Simon Wiesenthal, but when I read the script, I knew it would be great on stage,” says Denver. “We worried whether today’s audiences would be able to connect with it, but I knew that It was a great piece of art and it was a story that needed to be told.

“Also, it is phenomenally written. Lines like ‘To stop all genocides one must talk about all genocides’, or ‘When people laugh together, they often forget to kill each other’ are relevant in today’s world and resonated with audiences. Resonate,” he says.

Both Karthik and Denver say that whenever the play has been staged, it has received a good response and the audience has often been moved to tears.

Denver believes people connect with it because, “It’s the story of a man who had a purpose in life; He dedicated 58 years of his life to provide justice to the people.

As spectacular as this may sound, Wiesenthal himself did not think it was an admirable accomplishment – ​​in a line from the play he calls himself a “5% hero” who still only closed 1,000 cases out of 10,000 files. Could. in his office.

“We didn’t want to go overboard with the emotions or be overly dramatic, so we just focused on the storytelling aspect of it,” says Denver.

Denver and Karthik contemplate the irony of a play Wiesenthal In view of the current political situation.

Denver Anthony Nicholas | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“This whole piece is about a Jewish man talking about the Holocaust and right now, the opposite is happening in our world. Wiesenthal didn’t want retribution, he wanted justice and for nearly 58 years he spent every single hour of his life hunting down those who had tried to escape authority. I believe the pursuit of justice will matter decades from now,” says Denver.

“We are not presenting Wiesenthal Because we wanted to make a statement, it’s a beautiful piece of art. It just so happens that the piece talks about war, survival and justice,” he added.

For Karthik, the play highlights human barbarity; It also brought a wave of “sympathy for my fellow human beings.” “One does not need a criminal mind to commit mass murder. Blind obedience to authority will do, and it enables the average man to do terrible things,” he says.

“In wiesenthal, The context is Nazism, but the issue is genocide which still occurs all over the world. Although there is nothing funny in the play, there are some light-hearted moments. “The hero does not indulge in sadness or self-pity,” says Kathic.

a scene from Wiesenthal By Poochu Productions | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

While Karthik believes that one-man plays help an actor hone his craft and offer a lot more scope in terms of production dates, rehearsal time, travel schedules and preparation. Wiesenthal There was no cake walk.

To get the accent right, he had to go through sessions with a German teacher because, says Denver laughing, “It wouldn’t be like that if he was speaking British English like a South Indian on stage.”

“Thankfully, I was able to put my talent in mimicry to good use,” says Karthik. Apart from the German and French language bits that he had to master, he also had to undergo make-up sessions to play the character of a 90-year-old man. Also had to go through. “I found the masks too restrictive for the duration of the play, leaving us with no other option but makeup. Well, it takes about two and a half hours to put the makeup on and another two hours to take it off,” says Karthik, who also spent hours watching footage of Wiesenthal to mimic his mannerisms.

With a run time of approximately 80 minutes, Wiesenthal An office has been set up which is being evacuated and staged without any interruption. “The play builds to a point of dramatic tension which will break if an interval is introduced,” says Karthik.

Poochu’s production was founded in honor of Msith, an emerging artist who was interested in music, dance and theatre. Poochu, fondly known by those who knew him, died during the pandemic at the age of 24 before he could realize his dream. “Poochoo’s Productions is in his honor – we’re doing our best to keep his dream alive,” says Denver.

Wiesenthal Uninterrupted will be staged by Poochu Productions and Voxtoor Ventures at Jagriti Theater on October 5 at 3.30 and 7.30 pm. Suitable for ages 16 and up. Tickets on BookMyShow.