Wiesenthal’slife to unfold on a Bengaluru stage this weekend, courtesy Poochu’s Productions

Wiesenthal, by Chennai-based Poochu’s Productions, will be staged in Bengaluru this weekend

The impact of the Holocaust and all its horrors on India was minimal even as it was happening. Today, its role has been relegated to history text books, to be remembered and forgotten after an examination. However, the stories of survivors and those who braved the odds to fight for justice deserve to be told as they remain timeless.

Simon Wiesenthal was a Holocaust survivor who went on to bring as many as 1,100 war criminals to court. The play Wiesenthal written by Tom Dugan is set in his last day at the office where he recounts his journey as a World War II prisoner and his life’s work for justice.

Chennai-based Poonchu’s Productions in collaboration with Voxtur Ventures brings Wiesenthal to Bengaluru this weekend. Directed by Denver Anthony Nicholas and enacted by Karthik TM, the one-man play is a moving tribute to the power of determination, purpose and hope.

Wiesenthal was first staged in Chennai in 2022. Karthik TM who plays Wiesenthal, came across the script while looking for one-man plays and shared it with Denver.

“I liked way the script was written, the story and the World War II setting. I had heard of Simon Wiesenthal, but when I read the script, I knew it would be great on stage,” says Denver, adding, “We had concerns if the audiences of today would relate to it, but I knew it was a great piece of art and it was a story that deserved to be told.

“Besides, it is phenomenally written. Lines such as ‘One must talk about all genocide to prevent all genocide’, or ‘When people laugh together, they often forget to kill each other’ are relevant in today’s world and resonate with audiences,” he says.

Both Karthik and Denver says the response to the play has been good every time it has been staged, with audiences often moved to tears.