Theatre review: ‘The Age of Darkness’ asks what survives after war
Summary
Mandala Theatre’s ‘The Age of Darkness’ revisits the final day of the Mahabharata war through an anti-war lens, linking Ashvatthama’s revenge and the Brahmastra to the horrors of modern conflict. The production’s music, lighting, and staging amplify its bleak warning about violence, loss, and survival after war.
Key Points
- Mandala Theatre is staging ‘The Age of Darkness’, adapted from Dharamvir Bharati’s ‘Andha Yug’, at Thapagaun until August 30.
- The play uses the Mahabharata’s last day of war to question violence, revenge, and the moral cost of conflict.
- Ashvatthama’s descent into madness and the killing of sleeping soldiers and Pandava sons form the production’s central anti-war allegory.
- Director Sudip Khatiwada and adaptor Rajendra Salav present the story as a warning about war crimes and modern destruction.
