The life and trial of classical Greek Athenian philosopher, Socrates, was brought to live through a play ‘Barefoot in Athens’. The play was staged as the part of the National Theatre Festival-2013 at Antrang Hall, Bharat Bhavan.
The play was directed by renowned playwright and theatre artiste Rajesh Birasia and was wonderfully staged by the artistes from The Theatre Workshop, lucknow. The play is an adaptation of the drama written by Maxwell Anderson with the same name.
The story follows the life of Socrates and his stand for the democracy of Athens. Socrates falls from grace, and becomes the lone voice of democracy amongst the corruption of his fellow Athenians in this Maxwell Anderson’s play. The fall has been hard on the great philosopher. He walks his city ragged and barefoot, causing his wife untold shame. His raving about truth and democracy is more than embarrassing to the city’s crooked politicians, and they devise a plan to silence him forever.
At some situations or moments audiences find themselves laughing, crying and pondering their own meaning in life while overpowering to its dramatic conclusion. The play lets the audience learn about him in simple terms - his philosophical pronouncements about truth and democracy.
As Socrates was arrested, he was sentenced to death more to his surprise. But, just before the implantation of the death sentence Socrates drinks the poison as he believed that the right time has arrived for him to accept the death.
The play’s action centres on the tension between Socrates and leaders of Athens. They find his inquisitiveness a threat to the status quo. He was considered a danger because he accepted nothing on face value. His quest for truth was constant and inexorable. His questioning nature led him to a martyr’s death. Socrates knew that he would become a symbol for free speech if he drank the hemlock juice that caused his death, more powerful through his death.
The passionate and powerful performance by Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha as Socrates let the audience watch the play with rapt attention. Wonderfully directed, the play included all the elements of a fantastic stage performance.