The Court brings youth anxiety to the stage

By Our Correspondent, Lekhnath, July 29: With educational certificates in hand and the enthusiasm to achieve something, many young Nepalis still struggle to find opportunities. Jobs are scarce, and employment remains elusive. 

In such circumstances, the mental state of today’s youth is often marked by uncertainty.

 Many leave the country in search of a better future, while others fall into mental distress. Only a few manage to find a path to build their future at home.

An uncertain future, the weight of family and societal expectations, and the apparent success of a handful of seniors and peers showcased on social media place even greater pressure on young people. 

The play ‘The Court’ explores the story of a young man trapped in this complex cycle of psychological conflict and social pressure. 

Staged at Hansadhwani Theatre in Pokhara, The Court relies more on physical performance and visual poetry than on dialogue.

Through the life of 22-year-old Bibek, ‘The Court’ portrays the burden of family expectations, career pressures and the dream of going abroad. 

It also highlights the influence of social media and the mental stress it can create. The play emphasises that depression should not be hidden but addressed through open discussion. Naur Chhetri plays the role of Bibek. 

The production is organised by the Vatsayan Foundation and presented by The Actors Studio. 

The cast includes Bipana Bishwokarma, Bikram Tamang, Naur Chhetri, Rewan Rai, Adit Bhujel, Ujjwal Raj Dhakal, Krishti Gurung, Suman Timilsina, Sarjam Rai and Anjali Kunwar, among others. 

The play features choreography by Diya Maskey, set design by Nishchal Bimal and stage management by Ujjwal Raj Dhakal.

Actor Anup Baral, who has returned from Kathmandu to his hometown of Pokhara to establish a theatre, said the story is not confined to a single character but reflects the shared reality of today’s generation.

 Baral, who is also the writer and director of the play, said, “Although everything may appear fine on the surface, the play centres on the reality of young people who are living under immense psychological pressure.”

Baral believes Hansadhwani Theatre will help fill the longstanding lack of permanent spaces in Nepal for art, culture and intellectual discourse.

 He also shared plans to take plays on a variety of social issues to schools, colleges and communities across different parts of the country. 

Construction of Hansadhwani Theatre is now in its final phase, and his vision is to develop it into a fully equipped and vibrant theatre venue.

Reflecting on the difficult journey of Nepali theatre, Baral recalled that in the early days, performances in Kathmandu sometimes attracted as few as two audience members. 

He said long-term theatrical work was not sustainable in rented venues, which is why they decided to build their own infrastructure.

“Every time we had to change venues, we had to start from scratch. Now we have begun working from a permanent theatre built on our own land,” he added.

The play has been developed with the aim of staging it in schools across Pokhara that have basketball courts.

It was staged at Sainik Awasiya Secondary School on Sunday. 

After Monday’s performance at Hansadhwani Theatre, the production will continue its tour of other schools.