Lucknow : The 20-day acting workshop ‘Swang’, organized by Parul Gramophone, concluded on May 14 with a powerful stage performance based on renowned satirist Harishankar Parsai’s story ‘Matadin Chand Par’ (Matadin on the Moon).
The play offered a satirical and thought-provoking portrayal of governance and corruption through a fictional lens, imagining that residents of the Moon have written to Earth seeking help in improving their police system. Though their lunar state is largely peaceful, their police force lacks efficiency. Responding to their request, Earth’s government unanimously decides to send Police Minister Matadin to the Moon.
However, instead of improving the system, Matadin slowly injects corruption into the lunar administration. Under his influence, the Moon’s police start punishing the innocent, engaging in bribery, and causing widespread chaos. The once-utopian lunar society descends into disarray. Eventually, the Moon’s parliament convenes an emergency session and decides to write to Earth’s authorities demanding Matadin’s immediate recall, fearing that he has already destroyed half their culture and may soon ruin it entirely. In the end, Matadin is sent back to Earth.
The performance was brought to life by a talented ensemble cast including Parul Sharma, Neelam Yadav, Vinita Shukla, Nivedita Mohan, Archana Seth, Vishakha Srivastava, Archana Dhanuk, Manisha Singh, Sushma Garg, and Neelam Basin. The direction of the workshop and the play was expertly handled by Shubham Tiwari, who guided the participants through the creative process over the 20 days.
The event was a fitting culmination to a vibrant and creatively charged workshop, celebrating both the power of performance and the relevance of satire in contemporary times.
