The start of Studio 7s production of Habib Tanvir's The Honest Thief is dramatic enough. "Truth is divine. divine is the truth. nothing compares. with the sacred, the holy. the power of truth."

The play chronicles the life of Charandas, a thief who promises his guru to never tell lies. In one comic episode after another, Charandas dodges the law and over time attains cult Robin Hood-type status. He eventually decides to quit the game-but not before robbing the state treasury.

He pulls it off but also steals the queen's heart, which brings us to the heart of this play. There are four other vows Charandas has made-he will not eat from a golden plate, ride an elephant leading a procession, marry a queen, or become king. Whether he can stick to them-whether any of us can stick to our principles and morals in a world filled with compromises and moral corruption.

Each character in The Honest Thief is an archetype from contemporary society: the dishonest constable, the corrupt minister, the greedy landlord and his wife who refuse to share their sacks of grain with starving villagers, and the sadhu who is the voice of reason. Diya Maskey who plays Charandas, and Rajendra Shrestha in the role of the sadhu deliver the classic physical performances one expects from Studio 7 players.

Also of note are the vibrant red and yellow costumes, which imbue the characters with larger-than-life personas. There are visual metaphors aplenty too. In one scene two women come on stage with babies on their back, and both have a prominent item of camouflage clothing. The score is an interesting mix of Nepali hip-hop and bhajans.

This is the kind of production Studio 7 and director Sabine Lehmann do best. There are strong characters, broad wit, and lots of movement. And underpinning all these are difficult questions that we all face, or sometimes shy away from. Why is the truth so difficult? Is it worth killing and dying for? Are we all, at our best in today's messy world, trying to be 'honest thieves'?

Mallika Aryal

The Honest Thief plays at the Naga Theatre in Hotel Vajra on 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20 May. All performances start at 7.15 PM. Tickets cost Rs 700. For booking and information on discounts ring 4271545.