By Ireen Savoy
“When the truth cannot be agreed on, war is inevitable” is something all characters act upon and accept as truth in Mahabharata.
Mahabharata is an adaptation of the more than 4,000 year foundational Sanskrit epic, showcasing the story behind the war between two big families. It is the exploration of the morals and values that guide who we are and how we act, and how these are interpreted when things get difficult. The concept of justice and how it can be applied versus how it should be applied is a big recurring theme as well. It is a two-part play that can be seen on two separate nights or over the course of a full day.
Miriam Fernandes as the Storyteller, with Anaka Maharaj-Sandhu as Arjuna and Neil D’Souza as Krishna, in Why Not Theatre’s Mahabharata (Shas Festival, 2023). Photo by David Cooper.
“Within this forest of stories there is a river of wisdom”
Part one is aptly named Karma: The Life We Inherit. This first part focuses on understanding the origins and motivations of the multiple characters and how they intersect. The audience is given upon entry to the theatre the family tree of the characters to make it easier to follow along.
The music is played live on stage and adds such a wonderful energy to this part of the presentation. The story is narrated over the course of three hours, and the actions that visually represent said narration occur in a big red circle made of rubber grain that covers a big portion of the stage. It gets jumbled as the show progresses, with characters who step on the circle and gradually mess it up more and more. Something about seeing actors change their environment while on stage is truly mesmerizing, and effectively retains the eyes of everyone in the room as the story develops.
Meher Pavri as the Opera Singer, with Neil D’Souza as Krishna and Anaka Maharaj-Sandhu as Arjuna in Why Not Theatre’s Mahabharata (Shaw Festival, 2023). Photo by David Cooper.
“We are born, we die, and in between we briefly act”
Part two is called Dharma: The Life We Choose. This second half focuses on how the characters interact together, and on the main conflict of war. This second portion leans heavily into mixed media to support the storytelling of the play.
As this second part progresses, more and more props leave the stage, for it to be nearly empty by the end of the presentation. The talent of the actors shine in this half of the show as they are no longer telling us who they are but rather showing it. Key moments with gods are made magical with the use of an opera singer, dancing, and fire, thus keeping our attention for the full two hours.
Jay Emmanuel as Shiva with the cast of Mahabharata (Shaw Festival, 2023). Photo by David Cooper.
This show is the beautiful result of many great minds and hours of work. This is apparent in the quality of the play and its use of multiple tools to convey the wonderful and complex story. The energy in the room is palpable as light and shadows, props, dance, opera, big screens, fire, and live music add a three-dimensional quality to the experience, immersing the audience fully and completely into the enthralling story.
This play would be more suitable for teenagers and older, as many concepts that are brought up lean towards the abstract, and it is a time commitment to see both parts. While this story has been around for many many years, the play was made in such a way that it is not necessary to be very familiar with the epic to be able to enjoy the show. However, people who are acquainted with the story and its characters would generally get more out of the viewing experience.
You can see Mahabharata Part One from May 13-24 and Part Two from May 14-24 at the Babs Asper Theatre. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online for both Part One and Part Two.
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