Tesseract: Science, emotion, infinity

The doors opened, the audience streamed in, anticipation filled the room. Soon, all eyes were fixed on the striking multidimensional cube suspended above the stage, quietly pulling the audience into its world. The curtains open to Tesseract: The Geometry of Truth, directed and choreographed by Shiamak Davar.

A thoughtful introduction by Meera Jain, who conceptualised and visualised Tesseract, set the tone for the evening. She was accompanied to the podium by Samir Jain, who then retreated a few steps and watched adoringly, as anticipation built at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai.

They reflected on the inspiration behind the show — memories and conversations shared with their son and grandson. Meera Jain spoke about how, for 187 years, The Times of India has stood in service of one enduring ideal: Truth. Known across cultures as Veritas or Satya , Truth remains the foundation of human understanding. Across generations, the publication has seen its role not as owning Truth, but holding it. And then, as if responding to that very idea, the tesseract lights up.



ACT I

Act I unfolds with striking theatrical ambition. The first scene opens not with dialogue, but with movement — punctuated by the rhythmic clatter of a typewriter and the play of light. The dance that follows is powerful and energetic, serving as a vivid ode to The Times of India , with dancers in stunning couture created by Rahul Mishra. In the scene that follows, the atmosphere shifts, offering a moment of stillness — the calm before the chaos.

Golden light bathes the stage as the dancers, like gentle ocean waves, move back and forth with unhurried grace. At the centre of it all, curled up as if in a cocoon, is the striking protagonist, Sofia (played by Megan Murray). Her symbolic birth from a circle of bodies and light introduces a play that treats Truth not as a fixed object, but as something constantly discovered and shaped.

In the next scene, the pace and tone shift dramatically. The transformation of the newsroom into the living archive of The Times of India is particularly compelling. The archive emerges as a metaphor for the nation’s subconscious — the very centre of our collective consciousness. As Sofia journeys through its seemingly infinite shelves, each room opens into a different dimension of Truth, bringing her face to face with thinkers, artists, activists and storytellers who challenge their own time, in their own ways.

Visually and intellectually rich, Act I blends philosophy, journalism and art into a layered theatrical experience, as Sofia meets her alter-ego (played by Pia Sutaria). Dozens of dancers fill the stage, bringing a dynamic energy that shifts with each scene. From a sensual tango and elegantly coordinated ballroom dance to the discipline of ballet and the urgency of high-energy contemporary dance, every movement feels thoughtfully placed. These sequences are set to pulsating music that propels the narrative forward, creating the sense that we are reliving the moments and movements that have shaped our collective journey.

The choreography is heightened by striking visual imagery. Iconic scenes such as ‘The Last Supper’ appear alongside paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, before transitioning into the familiar faces of India’s freedom movement and global visionaries, the stars of cinema who expanded our imagination and took us into new realms and the feminists who raised their voices for equality and human dignity.

The cinema scenes are particularly striking, a tribute to the creative minds of artistes — from Guru Dutt and Ramesh Sippy to Francis Ford Coppola and Audrey Hepburn — who show us how far imagination can travel, and how a single thought in someone’s mind can be transformed into an entirely new world. The elaborate costumes, smooth dance sequences and vibrant set design come together to create an enriching experience, with joy and intrigue in equal measure.

Thought-provoking dialogue also lights up the screens, making us introspect as we journey through the defining ideas and voices that have shaped our times. Together, music, movement and imagery create a sweeping reflection on culture, history and the many forces that continue to shape our understanding of Truth today.


ACT II

By the second act, the play has built a powerful narrative on how Truth evolves through human courage and sheer imagination. Act II deepens the play’s philosophical and emotional scope by moving fully inside the tesseract, where Sofia encounters an unexpected presence: AI that functions not as villain or saviour, but as another form of intelligence reflecting her own thoughts. And poignantly, rather than allowing history to be rewritten, the play insists that it must first be witnessed.

The next scene, through dance and powerful thoughts on screen, takes over with an overwhelming sequence that confronts the audience with the double nature of progress. Industry, technology and invention are shown as both achievement and wound, while the symbols of environmental strain, digital distraction and social conflict collide across the stage. Sofia finds that every generation leaves behind fragments of wisdom. But they have also left damage.

The act ultimately moves toward reconciliation rather than despair. By recognising that humans and machines may share responsibility for shaping the future, the play reframes Truth as something dynamic and participatory — the positive realisation that we can shape the future.

What makes Tesseract memorable is its willingness to ask big questions. The play invites viewers to consider how our understanding of reality might change if we could step outside the limits of ordinary perception.

During the curtain call at the end, one could see Samir Jain leading his wife towards the front and then retreating, careful to avoid being part of the group taking a bow to a standing ovation, subtly underscoring his part in this production strictly as a supporting actor.

The most striking aspect of the production is its ambition. The creative team takes a concept that is inherently abstract — the four-dimensional ‘tesseract’— and translates it into an unmissable, dynamic stage experience.

It’s a spectacle that challenges the mind while engaging the heart, encouraging audiences to think beyond the familiar and appreciate the imaginative potential of the stage and life.