National theatre festival titled ‘Jatiya Natya Utsab O Dui Banglar Natya Mela 2011’ ended by paying tributes to the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s two plays – Roktokorobi and Noshto Neer-were staged on Friday to mark the ending of the 15-day festival. Hundreds of audiences thronged to the theatre halls of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) to enjoy the plays. With the slogan titled “Banglar natok korbe bishwa bhromon (Bangla drama will visit the world)”, the theatre festival was began on June 3. Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF), in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), has organised the festival. The festival, however, was organised with a view to paying tribute to the only Bengali Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. During the festival, 10 plays including adaptation from Tagore’s plays and his short stories were staged while a total of 30 plays were performed including three by Indian troupes. The Tagore’s plays are – Roktokorobi by Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, Noshto Neer by Dhaka Theatre, Kaler Jatra by Padatik Natya Sangsad (TSC), Muktodhara by Rangpur Natya Kendra from Rangpur, Mohamaya by Unity Malancha from Kolkata, Badnam by Sanglaap Group Theatre, Boikunther Khota and Boshikaran by Loko Natya Dal (Banani), Nishimon Bisarjan by Mohakal Natya Sampradaya and Roktokorobi by Prangone Mor. Dhaka Theatre’s latest production Nashto Neer was staged at the National Theatre Hall, which was adapted by Rubayat Ahmed from the origin of Tagore’s popular short story. The play was directed by Pijush Bandyopadhyay. The story of the play features Bhupoti, who inherits immense wealth and has little reason to toil for a living. The workaholic Bhupoti scarcely has time for family life or his lonely young bride Charulata. The beautiful Charulata leads a solitary life and devotes her time to sewing, reading novels and eventually develops a soft corner for her brother-in law Amol. Prangoney Mor staged Tagore’s masterpiece Raktokarobi at the Experimental Theatre Hall. The play was directed by Nuna Afroz. The play centres around a materialistic world, called ‘Jaggapuri’ (sacrificial ground) where there is only wealth and no touch of humanity. In this edited version of the play, the conflict between the materialistic society and the power of emotion was successfully displayed. The inhabitants of Jaggapuri are called by number and not by name. This indicates that these lifeless human beings are nothing but elements of the materialistic society. Meanwhile, 30 troupes, including three from India, staged their productions at the festival while six troupes were from outside Dhaka. Participating Indian troupes were Unit Malancha (from Kolkata), Natya Chetana (Orissa) and Jugagni (Baharampur).
-With The New Nation input
