Many of Tagore’s short stories have been adapted for theatre by troupes both in Bangladesh and India; and many such productions have earned applause and acclaim from audiences.
Kongkal (Skeleton), which is a famous short story by the Nobel laureate poet, became the latest short story to be adapted for a play by local Theatre troupe Natyateertha. The troupe premiered the play on Friday at Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Rabiul Islam adapted the play, while Tapan Hafiz directed it.
The story of Kongkal (Skeleton) revolves around the dreamlike conversations that take place between a man (named Khoka Babu in the play) and a girl’s apparition (named Kanak in the play).
The story runs thus that Khoka Babu, for a night, comes to sleep in a spare room where there once was a skeleton for studying osteology. Khoka Babu, being sleepless, thinks of the whereabouts of the skeleton; and suddenly there comes a girl’s apparition who claims she has come to see her skeleton.
The apparition, on request, begins to tell the tale of her life- how she ended up being a skeleton for the study of osteology. The story of the girl is what attracts most, and questions the social values of the society that Tagore portrays in the play.
Early-married and early-widowed, the girl, (who claims to have had a ‘rare and radiant beauty’ when she was alive), could not marry again as the society did not see it fit.
But the youthful charm and beauty of six-and-twenty years could not resist the desire to fall in love of a man.
Thence began a love story between the girl and a doctor (named Shekhar in the play), who is her brother’s friend. Here, the director presented the story in flashback. However, as the society stood in the way of that love, the doctor surrendered to the laws of the society and decided to marry another girl.
Kanak couldn’t endure what she deems insult to her beauty and womanhood. She, on the eve of the doctor’s marriage, dresses as a bride and poisons the doctor’s wine glass and commits suicide.
The director, Tapan Hafiz, took enough care to present the story in its original flavour and ambiance. Set, light and backdrop music enhanced the effect of the play.
Sadia Islam Shanta as Kanak acted impressively, while Tapan Hafiz as Kanak’s brother, Shamsur Rahman Peru as the doctor and Ismile Ahmed Ayon as Khoka Babu did not fail in their parts.
Thespian Ataur Rahman, who has directed the maximum number of Tagore plays in Bangladesh, inaugurated the premiere show. Praising the production, Rahman said, ‘Natyateertha presented the play quite aptly, in a pleasing manner. I think they could be more accurate in selection of backdrop songs though, and would do better to avoid the dance by apparitions at the beginning’.
-With New Age input
