A play titled Asambaddha, which brings to stage a story of the decade-long maoist insurgency, is currently being staged at Sarwanam Theatre, in Kalikasthan.

Asambaddha, written, directed and enacted by the eleventh batch of Sarwanam’s three-month long acting workshop, tells the story of the impact of the insurgecy, mixing the real with fantasy. Like what the film White Sun did before it, Asambaddha, set in an unnamed rural village, is a story of a family stricken by the insurgecy, wherein two brothers from the same family fight the war on opposite sides but in this plotline, both brothers perish in the fighting.

The story starts when both of the brothers find themselves landing in a world which is not earth. There, they come across an omniscient alien, who engages in conversation with them, fueling their sense of guilt. The play is told in flashback and is narrated by the alien.

“When we were discussing a story to tell, we were aware that the effects of the war still linger in our society. Though not personally involved, many of the incidents were what we had known of. So we decided to tell a story that can be relatable to all,” said Tufan Thapa, one of the members of the production ensemble. “Since it is a play where all of us eight trainees have made a debut, it was also a learning experience.”

Along with Thapa, Asambaddha features actors Ujim Kaucha, Kiran Chapagain, Saroj Khadka, Suman Thapa, Jeewan Thapa, Manu Shrestha, and Dipesh KC.

Asambaddha will run through September 1.