Bringing the seldom talked of issues of mental health to theatre, Theatre Mall in the Capital is currently staging the play Bed No 99 at its premises. The play, written by Mahesh Bikram Shah and adapted for stage by Ganashyam Shrestha, uses various symbols to delve into the pyshological wellbeing of its lead characters.

Bed No 99 is the story of a man who tells the story of the patient in the hospital bed no 98 despite the fact that he himself is very much bed-ridden. Always insecure about the whereabouts of his wife and those around him, the drama uses the narrator to explore the treatment psychological issues in Nepal.

After watching the play, the writer Shah said, “Theatre is a strong medium to relay the true reality of a story and after watching the characters of this story come to life right before me was very surreal.” He added, “When readers read stories, they imagine characters but in a drama they see and feel the characters. So, the story gets a second life when adapted to drama.”

The play features the Bikas Joshi, Shyam Khadka, Susma Koirala, Renuka Karki and Sushila Laxmi Maharjan in the lead roles.

The play will be staged at Theatre Mall till February 11.