Experimental play ‘Aunty Moxie Delulu’ gets ready to come to Hyderabad

When you encounter people or senior citizens talking to themselves, acting weird or being delusional or schizophrenic you think about the trauma or experiences that might have led to the situation. Reflecting on this societal reality and hoping to draw empathy is the play Aunty Moxie Delulu to be staged on January 31 in Hyderabad.

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“We might feel a little bit disgusted and even walk away from such people. But we do not know what they might have gone through in their lives. Auntie Moxie is such a character who has probably gone through hell and now appears delulu to a normal person. For me, it is important to draw empathy towards people like her,” says Ashiqa Salvan, who has not only written and directed but also performs in the play.

Solo act

The work was commissioned by Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research to encourage independent artists to write new scripts and create performances. This 60-minute solo act in English premiered in April 2025 at Puducherry and since then has had stagings in Delhi and Bengaluru including the recent Bengaluru Hubba. After Hyderabad, the play travels to Mumbai for the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, which is on from January 31 to February 8.

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At 60 Aunty Moxie oscillates between revenge and forgiveness. “The character is very important for me as I fully identify with her.” Swinging between myth and reality, Ashiqa plays four characters, including the mythical ones — Ganga, the goddess of forgiveness, and Nemesis, a goddess of revenge from Greek mythology.

Abstract narrative

A scene from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

While the music and lights are by Kirtana Krishna and Prerana, the narrative is slightly abstract and stories may seem unconnected but loose ends tie up at the end. Ashiqa crafted Aunty Moxie character based on the life around her and several ongoing conflicts and wars happening in the world. The play looks at characters who have no say in things but are expected to take a stand. “This general unrest is instigated by people who are in power. Ordinary individuals, who want to mind their own business have no idea about what is happening and why. It is like a generational influence where one does not know what is happening and why you feel a certain way about some people or things,” she explains.

To foster empathy

Solo act | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Ashiqa hopes the audience steps into the life of Aunty Moxie to understand what the character is going through and foster empathy. “We can be a little bit empathetic amongst ourselves, because we are all suffering in one way or the other.”

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Although Ashiqa is a bit anxious about the audience’s response to her experimental work, she is hopeful. Based on her past experiences of staging plays in Hyderabad as a member of Adishakti Theatre Laboratory, she says, “The audience in Hyderabad is warm and welcoming and also wants to receive new things in the theatre field.”

Aunty Moxie Delulu will be staged at Rangbhoomi Spaces in Gachibowli on January 31. Tickets on bookmyshow