Temptation is a devised play about the challenges adolescents face in today’s fast-changing world. Teenagers are growing up surrounded by technology, social media, online games, and the pressure to be seen and admired. While these spaces offer connection and excitement, they also bring emotional struggles. Alongside the digital world, students carry heavy academic pressure. They are expected to perform well in school, achieve high grades, and meet the expectations of teachers, parents, and society. This constant need to succeed often creates stress, fear of failure, and self-doubt. Adolescents often feel they are not allowed to slow down or make mistakes, which can lead to emotional struggle. The play was created through close collaboration with students, who shared their real experiences, thoughts, and fears. Their stories helped shape the characters and situations on stage. Temptation reflects how adolescents balance their dreams, expectations, friendships, and personal pressures while trying to discover who they are. Rather than teaching a lesson or providing clear answers, Temptation invites the audience to think and reflect. It shows the difficult decisions teenagers make and the consequences that slowly follow. The play creates a space for understanding and conversation, encouraging viewers to connect with the realities of early adolescence—filled with both opportunity and pressure.
Writer :
Himanshu B Joshi, he is actively engaged in theatre as a writer, designer, and director, Himanshu B Joshi has been associated for the past three decades with the National School of Drama (and its centres), Bhartendu Natya Academy, and several other institutions and universities. He has served as the Technical Coordinator for festivals such as the Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the German Festival in India, Days of Russian Culture, and Purva. He has translated and adapted several plays, notable among them “Midnight’s Children”, “Taj Mahal”,”A Raisin in the Sun’, and ‘As Breeze in Honey Drown’. His translation of Dario Fo’s ‘A Woman Alone’ was published in Rangprasang He has written plays including Memsaab Prithvi, Haan Main Geet Bechta on, Karna, ‘Chaufa Plang-Lu’, ‘Show Must Go On’, “Ikkisvi Sadi Ki Dadi”, “Mangal Grah Ka Rahasya’, and Charkha’, and has directed productions such as “Khoj’, ‘Bombay ke Footpath par Ek Hazar Ratein’, Romeo & Juliet`, “‘Hanush’, ‘Show Must Go On’, and ‘Bajaj and Bajaj Sons’ (Justice), among others. A recipient of both Junior and Senior Research Fellowships in theatre, Himanshu is also engaged in teaching various subjects and works as a consultant for the design and construction of theatre auditoriums. For theatrical productions, he has travelled extensively across different regions of India as well as internationally to Tokyo, London Belfast, Mauritius, Dubai, and Taiwan. For his contributions to lighting design, he has been honored with the Natsamrat Award and the Tapas Sen Award. Currently, Himanshu is serving as the Guest Editor of the prestigious Hindi theatre journal Natarang.
Director :
Design & Direction: Born in 1980 in Assam is actor, director, pedagogue a National School of Drama alumnus from the 2006 batch. Being on stage he has acted in more than 50 plays including Midnights Children, Saheb Biwi Ghulam, Antigone, Long Days Journy into Night, Baghdad Burning, Aur Kitne Tukde, Ramdhenu, Tadanta, Ajak Jonakir Jilmil, Black Board land, Lower Depth, Kabuliwala, and worked with many renowned theatre directors from India and abroad. He has participated in many International and national theatre festivals including Biennale Bonn (Germany), International Shakespear Seminer (Romania), Rafi peer festival (Pakistan) , Ibsen festival (Bangladesh), Arohan theatre Festival (Nepal), Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Poorvottar Natya Samaroh etc. He has directed more than 20 plays and conducted more than 60 theatre workshops for children and theatre enthusiast all over India. He worked as an assistant professor in Sonapur College, Bongaigaon B.Ed. College and worked as visiting faculty to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika regional government film and television Institute, NSD, Sikkim theatre training centre, Madhya Pradesh School of Drama, Punjab University, Craft film Institute etc. He has acted in feature films like Maj Rati Keteki, Emuthi Puthi, Mamatar Sithi, Whats cooking up Stela etc. He featured in web series like Neul, Rudraneel, Kuhar, etc. He has directed two documentary films on Adolescent issues of the tea garden areas of Assam (UNICEF) and Scenography, in focus to the mobile theatre of Assam. He has been awarded junior fellowship for the year 2008-2010 for his research project on “Research and documentation on the scripts of Mobile theatre by the Ministry of Culture Government of India.
Director’s Note
Adolescence today unfolds as a complex, rapidly shifting landscape. While working closely with the young performers, I observed how they balance their aspirations, expectations, and personal pressures while being constantly pulled into the vast digital universe. From gaming and virtual friendships to the enticing pursuit of instant fame, the modern online world presents temptations that challenge their judgment and reshape their emotional boundaries. These influences often lead them into unfamiliar territories where decisions are made in haste and consequences reveal themselves slowly. Temptation emerged from an intensive creative journey with the students. We listened to one another, exchanged experiences, and delved into the unspoken struggles that define so much of teenage life. Rather than offering clear answers or moral resolutions, the play seeks to illuminate the dilemmas young people face today. My intention as a director is not to preach but to present a reflective space—a stage where questions can be felt, examined, and shared.
Group :
On 9th August, 2012, the School established National School of Drama [TIE Wing], Tripura at Agartala in collaboration with Dept. of Information & Cultural Affairs and Higher Education, Govt. of Tripura. The wing offers one year residential certificate course in Theatre-in-Education and draws students from North-East states only. The course aims at preparing theatre teachers for schools, artist for TIE activities and become TIE resource persons to train children / teachers through TIE methodology.