Tibet Theatre to Premiere Tibetan-Language Play ‘Phayul’ in Dharamsala
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 7 Oct: Tibet Theatre is set to premiere Phayul (Homeland) on 9 October at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharamsala. This new Tibetan-language production revisits the upheaval in eastern Tibet in the 1950s through the experiences of ordinary Tibetans and their resistance to the Chinese occupation.
Set in eastern Tibet in the early 1950s, the play follows how Tibetans responded to the growing Chinese presence, from peaceful resistance to armed struggle, and traces the changes that followed as Chinese control expanded across Tibet.
Rather than centring the story on political leaders, Phayul focuses on the lives of monks, nomadic families and families of resistance fighters. Tibetan women occupy a significant place in the narrative, highlighting their experiences and contributions during the early years of the invasion, according to the production’s organisers.
Through these personal stories, the production explores the choices, courage, and suffering of people living through the conflict, while connecting their experiences to the agency of Tibetans today.
The play is written by Indian playwright Abhishek Majumdar and Tibetan playwright Tashi Wangchuk, and directed by Lhakpa Tsering and German director Harry Fuhrmann. The production has been developed over a period of more than three years.
Phayul is performed entirely in Tibetan, with multilingual subtitles, and is intended to place the Tibetan language at the centre of contemporary theatre. The production also connects its historical narrative with concerns over the preservation of Tibetan language and cultural identity.
The production follows Tibet Theatre’s earlier play Pah-Lak, which gained international attention through performances in India and abroad. Phayul continues the theatre group’s effort to tell Tibetan stories through contemporary Tibetan-language theatre.
The production will have a pre-premiere showcase at TIPA on 8 October, followed by its world premiere on 9 October and a public performance on 10 October.
Following the Dharamsala performances, Phayul is scheduled to tour Tibetan schools and settlements across India before travelling to Europe in 2027. The European tour is being organised in collaboration with Tibet Initiative Deutschland, with performances planned in Germany and Switzerland, as well as further engagements in Belgium and France.
The production has also been invited to the Prithvi Theatre Festival in India, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen in Germany and Theatre Winterthur Festival in Switzerland, according to the organisers.
Post-performance discussions will accompany the production, allowing audiences to engage with the cast and creative team on the themes explored in the play and their relevance to Tibetans today.
Tibet Theatre, established in Dharamsala in 2011, has produced more than 100 plays in Tibetan. With Phayul, the group brings a period of Tibetan resistance and social upheaval to the stage through the experiences of the people who lived through it, while sharing those stories with audiences in India and abroad.
