It is the story of an obscure Darkness. Darkness, that compels Innocence to turn out to be vindictive.

Frailty is the name of the Society here – the Society that successfully tags us with ‘good’ or ‘bad’, to nourish its idiosyncrasy. Nobody is here to fathom the reason behind it. But gold is not always golden and all that we breathe in is not only oxygen.

The play is set in an imaginary Juvenile Home where “Juveniles in Conflict with law (JCL)” are trying to unmask the society. And at last they erect a mound of questions to point out the malpractices of their elder counterparts. The play ends with a plea to change the World to the great extent of Humanity and also to make the Planet a better place to live in.

Inscription of this play started off with the sole intention of writing a play for the children. Having worked with children for quite some time now, I have noticed that ‘Children’s Theatre’ is not yet established in our theatre or the erudite fraternity. The primary reason for that I suppose is unawareness. Serious Theatre with Children is possible only when we, adults will consider them seriously and will render due respect to a Child Actor. Theatre with Children is no child’s play at all. In fact, this is a complex corridor of Theatre and whoever is associated with this occupation, knows well. Secondarily, whenever we think of ‘Children’s Theatre’, we think of fables, myths, allegories or a theatre that contains simple comedy which the children would love to watch. The demands of these stories are everlasting and also educative but they have actually restrained us from the desires and fulfillments of contemporary children and youth, with which if a play is produced might ask the elders far too many questions.

So, I have decided to compose a play where Children can question the responsibility of elders in society, who bring them up, who judge them and, often curse them for their involuntary ‘sin’.

Member of the Juvenile Justice Board Dr. Bipasha Roy and Criminal Lawyer Mr. Asish Kumar Khan have helped me immensely to write this play by providing a variety of information. And in today’s socio-political milieu, if this play stands out to be ‘Right’ instead of being merely ‘Good’, then I shall remain obliged as a playwright as well as a director.

The duty of an honest play is to ask questions. And in this situation, the children themselves will have to raise the questions. This effort is very palpable in this play. The questions are raised by the teenagers of our society. The desires and aspirations, dearth and grievances are pronounced in this play by a class of juveniles from an altered status. Between the age of 12 and 17, they are all subjects to rehabilitation in the eyes of Law, officially termed as ‘Juveniles in Conflict with Law (JCL)’ or the ‘juvenile offenders’. These inmates, the disregarded residuals, who are socially abandoned, are actually the yield of the irresponsibility of our mainstream society. The Indian media do not have the legal right to gather or render information about them. A successful government planning or initiative to bring them back to the mainstream society is not yet evident. These teenagers are often lost in the under current. The role of the Human Rights Commission is also not transparent. The Juvenile Homes are factories of crimes and criminals to a major extent. Reformative measures although have been taken by introducing new laws and that have yielded positive results in some areas but since this is just another ‘governmental’ effort, the emotional urge is noticeably less. On the other hand, people with ill motivations are coexistent. Thus there are Breaking News when girls get lost at times from Liluah Juvenile Home, befall victims to darkness.

We do not get hold of all the information. As it is mentioned earlier that the juvenile offenders are inaccessible to the media due to legal constraints and of course there are relevant reasons behind it. Thus this play cannot be labeled as ‘based on a true story’. Instead, in respect to the psychoanalysis of various case histories and current social scenario, this play is much closer to reality being an imaginary tale of the juveniles whose existence are endangered between our current social ethics and principles. The root of crime has been emphasized upon more than the crime itself although this play does not intend any personal assault. And thus the imaginary Juvenile Home depicted in this play is just for the purpose of supporting the illustration of the context. It has no resemblance whatsoever to any Rehabilitation Centre that actually exists.

Established in 2006, Beadon Street Subham, a Theatre School for Children, conducts regular Theatre Classes for Children in every Saturdays & Sundays. The children of Subham have earned numerous awards and their works have been appreciated in various other visual media also. Being a regular faculty of them, I have found them strong & brilliant child actors and Theatre workers, too. Having read out the play to them, I have come across their sensibility about the subject. Rationally, they have taken the play as their mouthpiece to voice their views on Child Rights and have plunged themselves into the play. They successfully play the roles of the minors in the play. I feel great pride to work with them.

I personally believe, a Society cannot be pure enough by keeping its ‘outcast’ progeny aside. And Theatre is the best medium that can think aloud their words, physically and politically. Our task is to find the Truth from the darkness of their lives where they have been thrown. Though the Truth is not pleasant enough, yet if it leads us to the great path of self-beautification it would be the ultimate celebration of Humanity. Would any other Festival be more gorgeous?