A fairy tale that asks some deeply pertinent questions

A dystopian fairy tale

‘

A Farming Story

’ is about a small community of farming Hummals (human animals) struggling to survive after environmental conditions have resulted in repeated crop failures. The villagers of this community are in debt to the Estate which owns all the land. Into this world arrive Hummal monkeys, fleeing from devastating forest fires. They hope to find refuge in the village. The villagers are deeply divided about this.

When a mysterious disease destroys the community's livestock, the Estate blames the monkeys, who are then, imprisoned. What ensues is a fight not only for survival, but also beliefs of compassion, bravery and wisdom. Their world eerily reflects ours, with all-powerful corporations, environmental damage, genetically modified seeds, abject poverty and mass migrations to cities. Will the mysterious new land across the lake offer a better world for Humans, Animals and Hummals? One can only wonder and hope.

Written by Vineet Bhalla, the play is directed by

Faezeh Jalali

and stars

Meher Acharia Dar

,

Suruchi Aulakh

, Dilnaz Irani, Reshma Shetty, Abhishek Saha & others.