controversy over elucidation and human rights
A Silence for Frau Schirakesch written by
Theresia Walser and translated into English by
Tim Casey is the
second reading in this year's
German Spotlight.
Ujwala Rao directs the English reading of the play.
About the play:
Precisely 77 minutes from now, Mrs. Schirakesh will be stoned to death in the marketplace of Chundakar. Simultaneously, a television talk show is trying to pay silent tribute to this cruel act from afar. The television host Hilda Ludowsky has invited the young, traumatised soldier Rose, who only recently returned from a tour of duty, and her father, Mr. Fahnenberg. They are joined by the beauty queens Ruth and Heidrun, who just stirred up a big controversy with their bikini pageant in Chundakar, and a General named Gert; at least his unit was able to set up port-a-potties in Chundakar’s marketplace to provide some relief to the women there. The guests are clashing already, even before the broadcast begins. They cannot even agree on the term “war”, and the escalating controversy over education and human rights soon leads to anything but a moment of silence.
© Ujwala Rao
Ujwala Rao is a theatre-maker from Bangalore. She has worked as an actor, dramaturg and director with various theatre groups in Bangalore. In 2019, Ujwala was awarded the Chevening Scholarship to study MA Theatre-Making at the University of York. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Health Psychology and is keen to explore the intersections between psychology and performance.
Director’s Note:
Throughout history, we have witnessed the recurring pattern of countries within 'The Global North' or 'The West' invoking the pretext of 'human rights violations' as a justification for initiating wars and conflicts against nations that dare to challenge their established dominance. These matters have been skillfully utilised as propaganda tools, aimed at demonising countries that reject the role of subservient puppets to Western powers, ultimately garnering domestic support for military actions. This play by Theresia Walser addresses the issue through satire. It has been exciting to work with a text that plays with the form so skillfully to also comment on the unsettling notion that citizens within Western nations often perceive themselves as morally superior to cultures that diverge from their own, unabashedly regarding themselves as beacons of civilisation.
Credits:
Director:
Ujwala Rao
Performers:
Nisha Abdulla, Lakshman KP, Shradha Raj, Laxmi Priya, Sachin Sreenath, Shibani Naidu
Only
one performance. Entry
free!
German Spotlight is a joint project of the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore and
Sandbox Collective.
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