"'The Chess Players' (1924), probably the most famous of all of Premchand 's stories, set in Lucknow at the time of the British annexation, portrays in terms of absurdist tragedy the moral vacuity and madness of the city's aristocracy in counterpoint against the background of a historical crisis. More than half a century after independence one cannot say that Premchand's world no longer exists."

David Ruben

Watch this space for more details on the world premiere of Constantine Sandis ' stage adaptation of the story immortalised in Satyajit Ray's film of the same name.