The Mayor Theatre Festival started in Rajshahi on Friday evening, celebrating its 2nd anniversary with an array of plays for local theatre enthusiasts.
The eight-day festival brings eight theatre groups from around the country to Rajshahi Medical College Auditorium to present a wide variety of plays including “Noshto Neer” by Dhaka Theatre, “Uttorkhona” by Anushilon Natyodal, and “Shasti” by Shangskritik Sangha in Rajshahi.
The fest continues with “Lal Jamin” by Shunnon, “Amena Shundori” by Theatre Art Unit of Dhaka, and “Aronney” by Rajshahi University Theatre.
On the inaugural day, Rajshahi Theatre staged its old production “Banchhito Banchhok”.
The play focused on the deviousness of those who dupe simple people. Renowned local theatre artiste Kamarullah Sarker, Dr. FMA Jahid and child artiste Souhardo Sarker Rito performed the main roles in the play, directed by Habibur Rahman.
Another theatre group, Tarun Sampraday from Sirajganj, staged “Bauthnama” on Saturday.
Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation organised the festival sponsored by Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC).
The federation’s chairman and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy director general Liaquat Ali Lucky inaugurated the festival.
Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman was chief guest at the event. He explained that the Rajshahi City Corporation is supporting the theatre festival to give evil forces the message that Rajshahi is not a haven for crime.
The inaugural session was also addressed among others by Jhuna Chowdhury, secretary general of Bangladesh Group Theater Federation and Rajshahi University teacher and playwright Malay Bhowmick, with the festival convenor and RCC ward councillor Shariful Islam Babu in the chair.
A rally paraded the city streets prior to this. Guests and artistes from around the country were welcomed at the festival with the showering of flowers and dances to songs “Labonne Purno Pran”, “Anondoloke” and “Fagun Legechhe”.
The festival will continue till March 2.
-With The Daily Star input
