Carlyon Sahib: A Drama in Four Acts

In an English country house that bears the quiet weight of empire, the retired Sir David Carlyon gathers his family and a small circle of acquaintances. His daughter Vera, a sharp‑eyed medical student, conducts an oddly clinical examination of the housekeeper Elizabeth, while a massive, cloaked birdcage looms in the background. Their seemingly genteel conversation drifts between scientific curiosity and half‑whispered concern, hinting at hidden anxieties about health, memory, and the lingering shadows of a life once spent in India.

The first act unfolds in this intimate, book‑laden sitting‑room, where Vera’s precise observations clash with Elizabeth’s bewildered humility. A young writer, a trained nurse, and a loyal servant drift in and out, each adding a layer to the domestic tension. As the dialogue sharpens, listeners sense the undercurrents of authority and affection that will later be tested against the stark landscape of the Ghautgherry Hills, promising a drama that moves from the familiar comforts of home to the uncertain terrain of colonial legacy.