As its 15th production, theatre troupe Swapnadal is going to bring history-based play Spartacus to stage later this month. For the production, the story of the slave hero/legend Spartacus of around 71BC has been revamped to zoom in on the struggle of workers of the country. Indian playwright Badal Sircar has translated and adapted American novelist Howard Fast’s 1951 novel Spartacus. But in doing the adaptation, Badal has taken liberty to make room to incorporate the continuous fight for freedom that people have waged.
‘Swapnadal’s Spartacus, while maintaining the storyline of the slave-leader Spartacus who fought against the Roman Republic and stood up against the malpractices of slave-owning oligarchy; will highlight more on the continuation of that fight in our time and place’, said Zahid Repon, who is directing the play.
Swapnadal’s take on the character and historical event of Spartacus lies in the courage and commitment they (Spartacus and his associates) showed. When Spartacus was ultimately defeated and a number of 600 of his associates crucified by the Roman army, one of the slaves, as writes Fast, declared, ‘We will be back again, in millions’.
‘Our interest lies in this, that fight for freedom can never be silenced’, shared Repon who thinks ‘in the name of globalisation, the old domineering fingers of empire are crouching back to us, and we must not stop fighting for freedom. Spartacus, therefore, is a symbol for us’.
Swapnadal will present the play in the ‘narrative style’, also termed as ‘Bangla Natyariti’, where actors are narrators too and present the story both through acting and in narration.
Around 30 Swapnadal artistes will perform in the production which will be dedicated to all who have died in apparel tragedies. The play will be premiered on October 23 at Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpkala Academy.
-With New Age input
