The late thespian SM Solaiman’s 60th birth year anniversary was celebrated through a colourful programme on Friday at the Shilpakaka Academy.
The premises of the National Theatre Hall of the academy was decorated with installations and dedicated places for different troupes, which paid respect to one of the most prominent theatre activists in the neo-theatre movement of the country that generated after the independence in 1971.
The programme organised by Theatre Art Unit- the last troupe created by Solaiman in his a quarter century activities as a playwright, director, actor and organiser- featured discussion, music, dance, recitation and theatre performances by nine leading troupes in the city.
Aranyak Natya Dal, Subachan Natya Dal, Prangonemor, Swapnadal, Bottala, Oikik Theatre and Tirondaj presented their productions in the respective stalls.
The audience enjoyed the open air performance of Solaiman’s musical comedy Khandani Kissa staged by Subachan Natya Dal in its dedicated space.
Tirondaj, on the other hand, presented Osamapto Gaan, a Mamunur Rashid’s musical production dedicated to the memory of Solaiman. Merina Mitu and Moitria Sarkar respectively directed and choreographed the production.
In their stall, the enthusiastic Aranyak members staged Klantihin Path Chola, a collage of selected parts of the popular plays the troupe has produced in the past 40 years since the beginning of its journey.
As done by Solaiman in his ‘rough theatre productions’, some troupes such as Pracchyanaut, Bottala, Oikik Theatre satirised the contemporary socio-political turmoil in their respective open air productions.
Pracchyanaut highlighted an anti-war stance in its production Target while Oikik Theatre and Bottala respectively depicted the Ramu tragedy and the plight of the victims of apparel workers of Rana Plaza and Tajrin Garments tragedies.
Prangonemor, on the other hand, presented selected parts of the street theatre Jaago Bohey Konthe Sabai.
At the National Theatre Hall, Theatre Art Unit staged a collage production featuring selected parts of three plays written and directed by the late Solaiman titled Ingit, Ei Deshe Ei Beshe and Birth Fantasy.
The troupe also staged SM Solaiman’s musical Janam Dukhi Ma, depicting the struggles of a mother to save her children during the war of independence.
The troupe members rendered Solaiman’s songs O amar ek jonomer jibon re and Mayar sagor pari diye in chorus.
Besides, recitation artiste Mahidul Islam presented Rabindranath Tagore’s Porichoy and Naila Taramon kakoli recited another Tagore’s poem Tomar-i Torey Ma.
SM Solaiman’s companions Mafidul Haque, Mannan Hira and Tariq Anam Khan discussed on the life and works of the late thespian.
-With New Age input
