The play ‘The Road to Mecca’ is directed by Ms. Charmi Chheda, an acclaimed filmmaker and theatre director, currently, creative director with Samuh, and features an ensemble of Indian and Bhutanese actors – Ambassador Sonam Tobden Rabgye, Bhutan’s former Ambassador to Kuwait, Geneva, Brussels, and Dhaka; Ms. Charmi Chheda; and Ms. Ariana Minwalla - a young professional with a background in film industry and media management.

The Road to Mecca is a masterpiece of South African literature written by critically acclaimed playwright Athol Fugard, who gives us a deep insight of complex themes such as mental health, old age, and the importance of art and theatre in society.

The playwright offers a poignant portrayal of an elderly woman's struggle with mental illness and the transformative power of art, based on the real-life story of Miss Helen Martins. It is a powerful reminder that society must support the mental health of elderly people and recognize the vital role art can play in promoting well-being and social cohesion.

The play is set at Miss Helen’s home in South Africa. After Helen’s husband died 15 years earlier, she began filling her home with light and color and started a sculpture garden of her own creations. The play features three characters: Miss Helen, in her late sixties; her friend Miss Elsa, a young teacher and social worker in her twenties; and Pastor Marius, a local conservative clergyman in his late sixties.

Miss Elsa and Pastor Marius argue over whether the declining Miss Helen should be moved into a nursing home, away from the fantastic environment she has created for herself. Miss Helen’s Mecca is her inner journey, a spiritual awakening through the arts and her fascination with lights and candles that lead her to a dream-like place, which she refers to as her Mecca.

After her death, Miss Helen's house and her art works became a museum and a major tourist attraction. That is a powerful testament and an example of both, the transformative power of art in a society and society's acceptance of women artists.

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