They travelled together in a van, got down at key points in the city and imaginatively told the street, that “there is hope.” They were a collective of theatre artists from Kozhikode staging a street play aimed at sending a message against the tendency to commit suicide in society, in connection with the World Suicide Prevention Day observance on Tuesday.
The street play ‘Madhuramee Jeevitham’ staged under the aegis of ‘Thanal,’ a suicide prevention Centre in the city, was part of a series of programmes organised by the NGO in the city. “We were trying to tell the audience through the play that showing a little compassion or empathy by even merely listening to a friend, a colleague or an acquaintance in distress can save a life,” said A Ratnakaran, director of the play.
The play based on a book titled Athmahathyayum Prathirodhavum written by psychiatrist in the city was staged at the New Bus Stand premises, Kidson Corner, Beach and the Town Hall amidst a huge Onam Crowd. A poem written by Ramesh Kavil, the award-winning theatre lyricist, was also incorporated into the play, which was visualised by the artist evoking a sense of hope in the spectators about life. It talked about precious life and about the meaninglessness of ending it for flimsy reasons.
The play written by K. Yatheendran was staged by a team of nine artists led by Vijayan Karanthur.
