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Sense in chaos

Plasma from Zurich stages an interesting, if not moving, play

At one hour ten minutes “Delirium” is an exploration of time and actions



It’s different “Delirium” blurs conventional boundaries

Delirium”, presented by Plasma from Zurich, is not meant to be understood. Staged recently at the tenth Bharat Rang Mahotsav in New Delhi, it doesn’t use language to convey meaning but for acoustic reasons. The play intends to disorient and does precisely that. Initial technical glitches, which delayed the subtitles, only furthered the disorientation, albeit inadvertently. It is inspired by the experiences of the five actor troupe, during their tour to Helsinki.

At one hour ten minutes, it is an exploration of time and actions. It deconstructs time as it shifts between real and dream time.
Repeat action

The actors immerse themselves in an action for a while. Only to be suddenly taken aback by their own behaviour. It is as if they move between moments of intoxication and wakefulness, alternately. At other moments in the play, it is as if time has got stuck.

Actors repeat the same action incessantly. On the other hand, time is also hastened. Actions, antics and the music spiral towards frightening speeds. The music loses harmony and ascends towards a screeching chaos. But just as it makes a mockery of time, it also projects a countdown clock. Starting at 1:20:00, it races down to 00.

Dialogue is not the focus of the play. However, through their robotic monologues, questions of intent and purpose are raised. Characters wonder aloud how to achieve posterity. But they are also made aware of the ephemeral nature of all things. Characters wish to be more than another statistic, but the fact is that whatever is in the present, will become the past.

This play also uses elaborate acrobatics that subvert ‘normal’ behaviour. Actors suddenly somersault. They dramatically attach themselves to the bar top and elaborately clamber up. There are deliberate falls and excessive splits. It is as if, the borders between the fantasised and the experienced are meant to be blurred.

The music composed by Martin Wigger and Jan Ratschko is surreal trance. It compliments the essence of the play, creating a fractured atmosphere. But as the name “Delirium” suggests, it does create a sense of fragmented attention and confused thinking. The acting is precise, but creates little impact. It is a production that set out to do something new. It succeeds in being different. But it touches neither heart nor head.

Plasma, founded in 2000, sees itself as a laboratory that explores and creates connections between acting, music, mime and the fine arts.