l’arbre étrange is a devised theatrical piece stitched together by three poetic stories of loneliness and abandonment that find comfort in a strange tree. The play also weaves Chinese, Greek and Japanese Folklores through physical theatre.

Magical Pear Tree

From the Chinese folklores, this is a story of a magical pear tree which was planted by a poor monk when he was denied a pear in the market place. The story emphasizes on the idea of Tree as sharing, sheltering and giving.

The Graveyard Keepers tale

One strange day, her house is engulfed with fire; kicked and whipped she is abandoned from the village to find herself amidst the cemetery of infants. There the strange tree becomes the roof for her poor embittered soul. But can life begin with death all around

Charioteer of the Sun God and his love

From the Greek Mythology, this is a rare story of the eclipse. What happens when the charioteer of the Sun God- Apollo falls in love with a mortal Kalabos who is already committed? Further, what will happen if Apollos lover Kalabos disappears one day? Will Apollo still be the charioteer for the sun god and carry on with his duty, or will it be a dark eclipse?

Eclipse

The unfortunate young boy born during an eclipse decides to kill himself 21 years later due to the guilt of his life and actions. The same branch, on which he tied the rope as a swing, becomes the rope for hanging himself to death. Is guilt such a burden that it ends with death?

Oruso

The Japanese folklore is about the spirit of an Oruso Tree who falls in love with a young girl who has been named after her. But what if a mortal and a tree spirit fall in love with each other and wish to be with each other?

The Forbidden Path

He walked on the forbidden path and while passing through the dark woods, it’s the tree that became his guiding light and friend. But did he pay a price for walking the forbidden path?

l’arbre étrange is a poetic journey of three lonely lives connected to a strange tree and a journey where realism meets surrealism depicted through poetry, acting, physical theatre, music and painting.