Ataur Rahman
Theatre of Bangladesh truly saw its curtain raised when the country was liberated from the clutches of Pakistani oppressive rule. A new era was ushered in theatre with the golden touch of the word- Independence. Theatre goers, connoisseurs and the critics started to recognise our theatre as a powerful performing art medium, showered with the flow of a new wave. Some of the news papers even crowned our newly attained theatre as the best fruit of the War of Independence. Theatre started flowing vibrant in the thinly weaved cultural fabrics of our country. It became a regularly practicing art medium in exchange of selling tickets. New theatre groups were established, and both young and experienced theatre megalomaniacs were drawn to our new-wave theatre. The audience-spectators found the rhythm of their hearts in theatre both in terms of entertainments and also as social educators.
If we now look at the dailies, we will find advertisements of at least four to five theatre performances in the metropolis to be staged every evening. There would have been more, if there was not a lack of actable stages in the capital city. At ‘Natak Sarani’ (New Bailey Road) which was the birth place of our nascent theatre practice, had two stages initially, namely Mahila Samity and Girls Guide House Auditoriums. Later, with the closure of Girls Guide House Auditorium, theatre performances staggered at the Natak Sarani. However, opening of National Theatre Complex at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy a few years back compensated the scarcity of theatre halls to an extent. At present, National Theatre Complex can accommodate 3 performances in one evening at the National Theatre Stage (main hall), Experimental Theatre hall and the Studio Theatre. Even so, these theatre halls are meagre compared to the need of theatre troupes and the audience. Presently there are at least 60-70 regularly practicing theatre groups in Dhaka and 250 theatre groups in the entire country. There are sporadic performances though, here and there, but not quite worthy mentioning. The situation is more vulnerable outside Dhaka, as the lack of performance places is greater.
As old as the civilization itself, theatre is a unique art form by its own right. Through the performance, human emotions like love, hatred, pleasure and sorrow are shared amongst two groups of people- actors on stage and the audience at the auditorium. And the feed back is immediate. Theatre is also one of those rare art forms which combine intimate cooperation amongst the performers as well as back stage workers. As it encompasses varied spectrum of human knowledge and experience, it is termed as a cooperative art form.
Throughout the time, theatre had undergone the threat of recession and even extinction, especially with the advent of cinema and television. However, it could withstand the test of time for its in-grained quality. Even though the theatre audience is much too less compared to cinema and television, audience-size is not the calibration mark or index of quality of an art form. Theatre tries to speak the truth about the society and human existence in many different ways and thus get human acceptance. That is why it is sustaining its existence as a very intense and moving medium, and will continue to remain as a favourite art medium to a group of people. Moreover, theatre tends to score more than the other art media for having double roles, one as literature in the form of the text or book of a play and subsequently as a performing art on stage.
Coming back to the true state of theatre practice in Bangladesh, it is quite different from the theatre practice in the neighbouring Kolkata of West Bengal, India. Regular theatre performances had started in 1973 in Bangladesh and still it is not considered as a money generating means for the playwrights, directors, actors and the back stage workers. Sale proceeds of the ticket are not enough to financially support the activists involved in the medium. Theatre is neither substantially financed nor subsidized by any government or private agencies. Theatre groups are run by the sale proceeds of tickets, personal donations and time to time sponsorships by different agencies and organizations. In spite of these facts, theatre practice of the country cannot be termed as an amateur endeavour. With all the professional zeal and attitude, our theatre can be termed as the theatre of passion and love.
The writer is an actor, director and writer.
