The Djinns of Eidgah
By Abhishek Majumdar
Themes: War & Conflict, Power & Control, Fear & Survival
Key Scenes: Scene 8 (1F, 1M), Scene 11 (1F, 2M), Scene 10 (1F, 2M)
Number of characters: 10 (2F, 8M)
Genre: Political Theatre, Magical Realism
Age recommendation: 12+
Country: India
Original language: English
Description:
Set against the backdrop of the on-going Indo-Pakistani conflict over Kashmir, the play explores the cost of absolutist political ideology. Particularly the control asserted over people’s everyday lives, dreams and aspirations.
Ashrafi and Bilal are orphaned siblings stranded and defined by the troubles in Kashmir. Eighteen year old Bilal is the pride of the region, part of a teenage football team set for great heights, and pushed to the limits by the violence around them. Haunted by hope, his sister is traumatised by an incident from the past, and Bilal is torn between escaping the myths of war and getting caught up in the cycles of resistance.
Meanwhile, Dr. Baig and Dr. Wani are desperately trying to deal with the psychological wounds inflicted by war and, in spite of their mutual respect, find themselves diverging in their opinions of the increasingly fraught humanitarian disaster in which they live and work.
Interweaving true stories and testimonies with Islamic storytelling, the play paints a magical portrait of a generation of radicalised kids, and a beautiful landscape lost to conflict.
The play was written in the English language in 2011 and premiered at the Royal Court in London in 2013.
+ DETAILS
Author: Abhishek Majumdar
Original language: English
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2013
World Premiere (in the Engl. lang.): Royal Court in London, 2013
Education Pack Resource Writer: Alia Alzougbi
+ CHARACTERS
BILAL, 18 years old, a young Muslim footballer from Kashmir with great promise. He wishes to flee his country in search of a better life for himself and his younger sister Ashrafi.
ASHRAFI, 12 year old younger sister of Bilal. Having been present when her father died in a bus bomb, she requires continual psychiatric care and is dependent on her brother.
KHALED, Bilal’s friend of a similar age, also a footballer from Kashmir
DR BAIG, a senior psychiatric doctor whose son was radicalised and killed in the conflict, and who is vehemently opposed to violence
DR WANI, one of Dr Baig’s students, now a grown woman with a child of her own
SOLDIER 1, 40s, an Indian soldier stationed in Kashmir
SOLDIER 2, 20s, an Indian soldier stationed in Kashmir
DJINN, a spirit who appears to the various characters as their deceased loved ones
MUSHTAQ, A senior player on the Kashmiri football team, more a mentor than a coach for Bilal and Khaled. He is only slightly older than them.
ABBAJAAN, Bilal and Ashrafi’s father, 40s.
+ PLAY TEXT BLURB
Ashrafi and Bilal are orphaned siblings stranded and defined by the troubles in Kashmir. 18 year old Bilal is the pride of the region, part of a teenage football team set for great heights, and pushed to the limits by the violence around them. Haunted by hope, his sister is caught in the past, and Bilal is torn between escaping the myths of war and the cycles of resistance.
Interweaving true stories and testimonies with Islamic storytelling, the play paints a magical portrait of a generation of radicalised kids, and a beautiful landscape lost to conflict.
Buy play text here
