Students of eight colleges from different corners of the country staged plays depicting struggles of the common people in different eras of the history since the British colonial period at the three venues of Shilpakala Academy on Friday.
It was the second day of the eight-day festival titled Swapno o Droher Jatiya Natyautsab organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Troupes and colleges from 64 districts of the country are participating in the festival, which highlights dreams and determination of the people for freedom.
Almost none of these students are regular theatre practitioners, but all of them had enthusiasm and determination to stage shows for the entertainment of the city dwellers.
Many of them expressed satisfaction for getting chance to stage plays featuring struggles for freedom in the festival in the capital.
Students of Chuadanga Government College staged the satire titled Natyakar Abul Maksuder Duswapno at the National Theatre Hall. Written and directed respectively by Shamim Sagor and Abdus Salam, the play depicts the struggles of the deprived peasant community through the nightmare of a playwright named Abul Maksud, who receives awards and appreciations for writing a play with a contradictory theme featuring ‘peasants are happy’.
In his nightmare the oppressed peasants appear and accuse him for distortion of the reality. The peasants begin to recount their long history of oppression and assault they have been enduring by the privileged class.
‘We are happy for staging a successful show, though initially we were a bit nervous’, Sajedul Hasan, one of the members of the troupe, told New Age.
The play got appreciation from the audience. ‘Though they are amateur, I am impressed by their performance,’ Masud Alam, an audience, said.
Oppression on the peasant was also the theme of Nonajal staged by the students the Government BL College, Khulna, at the Experimental Theatre Hall.
Written and directed by Hasan Tarek, the play depicts the class struggle portraying the landlords’ snatching of crops from the poor peasants.
‘We are not trained theatre workers. But this experience of performing in Dhaka will be a memorable one for all of us,’ Debabrata Mondol, a member of the troupe, told New Age.
Moreover, Kritobidya was staged by Upadakhhya M Abdus Shahid College from Srimangal, Ma Ebong Amra was staged by Barishal Amrita Laal Dey College, Eikhane Sabkhane was presented by Government Ashok Mahmud College from Jamalpur, Bhatir Bagh was performed by Banderban Cantonment Public School and College, Bhasha Theke Swadhinata was staged by Khagrachhari Government College and Kaal was presented by Kola Ideal Degree College from Noagaon.
Cox’s Bazar Shilpakala Academy also staged Atmadohon on the second day of the festival.
-With New Age input
