Night of January 16th

Set in a courtroom during a murder trial, an unusual feature of the play is that members of the audience are chosen to play the jury. The court hears the case of Isha, a former secretary and lover of businessman Dhanraj, of whose murder she is accused. The play does not directly portray the events leading to Dhanraj’s death; instead the jury must rely on character testimony to decide whether Isah is guilty. The play’s ending depends on the verdict. The plays intention was to dramatize a conflict between individualism and conformity, with the jury’s verdict revealing which viewpoint they preferred.