The Play ‘Lucifer’ Commemorates the Events of 24 Bhadra: Who Created It?

The play ‘Lucifer Rising’ highlights the political turmoil in Kathmandu on 24 Bhadra and reflects the psychological state of individuals from a single room. It raises thought-provoking questions: When does a person become powerful? Is power merely an illusion or a reality? When do people seek refuge? What happens to individuals amid chaos? The play attempts to bring answers to these questions on stage.

The narrative immerses the audience in the atmosphere of 24 Bhadra, a day when Kathmandu resembled a battleground. How were the protestors feeling? Which side did the police support? What was running through the mind of a prisoner recently released from jail? These perspectives are all portrayed through the interactions within a single room. One of the central characters is Alisa, a young woman from the Sukumbasi settlement who suffers from the pain of being unable to obtain citizenship.

The play features seven characters representing the hundreds of individuals involved in the events of 24 Bhadra. However, the play presents a dual narrative that has sparked division among viewers. It portrays religion either as faith or blind belief, posing significant and serious questions to the audience.

The title carries political connotations, as the term ‘Lucifer’ has recently gained political usage. The play effectively reveals the ‘Lucifer’ tendencies within human beings. Although the director acknowledges room for improvement, the originality and the capacity to tell a compelling story with a limited number of characters stand out as the play’s greatest strengths.