The "Common" Voice

A room bursting with excited chatter, placards and slogans, over 150 participants and 15 street plays all in a row. You can't ask for a more fun Saturday morning and I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Hindi and English chants filled the air as each play attempted to explore and highlight the environmental challenges facing the world today.


The themes were endless. . .deforestation, polluted rivers, garbage disposal, smoking and air pollution, saving electricity, the plastic bag menace, individual apathy, lack of political will, war and terrorism.

The heartening fact was that each and every play acknowledged the powerful role the individual could play in changing the so called "system". The call was for ownership of tasks, of accepting ones shortcomings and then moving forward to a create a world where individuals participate in the process and don't simply wait for those in authority to come up with solutions!


Whether it was Lucifer tempting Man to destroy his planet, a tired Super hero who refused to take the responsibility of cleaning up the mess every time, the voice of conscience calling us to the truth, the jury pronouncing the world too preoccupied with "more important issues" to bother about something as vague as global warming, teenagers partying with no care for tomorrow, a planet crying out for help: each and every play raised important and pertinent questions.


Kudos to all the participants! Here's hoping the questions raised continue to resonate long after the excitement over staging the street play has subsided.