Wiesenthal comes to Bengaluru this weekend, courtesy Poochu’s Productions

The impact of the Holocaust and all its horrors on India was minimal even as it was happening. Today, its role has been relegated to history text books, to be remembered and forgotten after an examination. However, the stories of survivors and those who braved the odds to fight for justice deserve to be told as they remain timeless.

Simon Wiesenthal was a Holocaust survivor who went on to bring as many as 1,100 war criminals to court. The play Wiesenthal written by Tom Dugan is set in his last day at the office where he recounts his journey as a World War II prisoner and his life’s work for justice.

Chennai-based Poonchu’s Productions in collaboration with Voxtur Ventures brings Wiesenthal to Bengaluru this weekend. Directed by Denver Anthony Nicholas and enacted by Karthik TM, the one-man play is a moving tribute to the power of determination, purpose and hope.

Wiesenthal was first staged in Chennai in 2022. Karthik TM who plays Wiesenthal, came across the script while looking for one-man plays and shared it with Denver.

Karthik TM
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“I liked way the script was written, the story and the World War II setting. I had heard of Simon Wiesenthal, but when I read the script, I knew it would be great on stage,” says Denver, adding, “We had concerns if the audiences of today would relate to it, but I knew it was a great piece of art and it was a story that deserved to be told.

“Besides, it is phenomenally written. Lines such as ‘One must talk about all genocide to prevent all genocide’, or ‘When people laugh together, they often forget to kill each other’ are relevant in today’s world and resonate with audiences,” he says.

Both Karthik and Denver says the response to the play has been good every time it has been staged, with audiences often moved to tears.

Denver believes the reason people relate to it is because, “It is the story of a man who had a purpose in life; he dedicated 58 years of his life bringing people to justice.”

As spectacular as that may sound, Wiesenthal himself did not feel his was a feat to be lauded — in a line from the play he calls himself, “a 5% hero” who could close only about 1,000 cases of the 10,000-odd files still in his office.

“We did not want to go overboard with the emotions or be overly dramatic, so we’ve only focused on the storytelling aspect of it,” says Denver.

Denver and Karthik mulled over the irony of a play like Wiesenthal given the current political situation.

Denver Anthony Nicholas
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“This entire piece is about a Jewish man talking about the Holocaust and right now, the opposite is happening in our world. Wiesenthal did not want vengeance, he wanted justice and for about 58 years he spent every waking hour of his life, in the pursuit of those who tried to evade authority. I believe that quest for justice will matter decades from now,” says Denver.

“We are not presenting Wiesenthal because we wanted to make a statement, it is a beautiful piece of art. It just so happens the piece talks about war, survival and justice,” he adds.

For Karthik, the play shed light on human savagery; at the same time it also brought on a wave of “empathy for my fellow human beings.” “One doesn’t need a criminal mind to commit mass murder. Blind obedience to authority would do the job and that makes an average man capable of terrible things,” he says.

“In Wiesenthal, the reference is Nazism, but the point is genocide which still happens all over the world. While there is nothing funny in the play, there are a couple of light moments. The protagonist doesn’t indulge in sorrow or self pity,” says Kathik.

A scene from Wiesenthal by Poochu’s Productions
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

While Karthik believes one-man plays help an actor hone their craft and offer a lot of wriggle room in terms of production dates, rehearsal times, travel schedules and preparation, Wiesenthal was no cake walk.

In order to get the accent right, he had to undergo sessions with a German teacher because, “it wouldn’t do to have him go on stage sounding like a South Indian speaking British English,” laughs Denver.

“Thankfully, I was able to put my talent in mimicry to good use,” says Karthik. Aside from the passages in German and French that he had to master, there were the makeup sessions he had to undergo to look the part of a 90-year-old man. “I found masks too restrictive for the duration of the play, which left us with no other option but makeup. Well, the makeup takes about two-and-a-half hours to apply and another two to take off,” says Karthik, who also spent hours watching footage of Wiesenthal in order to impersonate his mannerisms.

With a run time of about 80 minutes, Wiesenthal is set an office that is being emptied and is staged without a break. “The play leads up to a point of dramatic tension which will be broken if we introduce an interval,” says Karthik.

Poochu’s Production was established in honour of Sushrith, a budding artiste who was into music, dance and theatre. Affectionately called Poochu by those who knew him, he passed away during the pandemic at the age of 24 before realising his dream. “Poochu’s Productions is in honor of him — we are trying to do our best to keep his dream alive,” says Denver.

Wiesenthal by Poochu’s Productions and Voxtur Ventures will be staged without a break at Jagriti Theatre on October 5, at 3.30 and 7.30pm. Suitable for those aged 16 and above. Tickets on Bookmyshow.