Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Welfare state a far cry

Welfare state a far cryAl Deen’s Chaka gives artistic expression of reality
Found only in the theories, books and dictionaries, the ‘Welfare State’ does not exist in reality. This fact has been explored artistically in
Selim Al Deen’s play Chaka.
It’s not a political play or any rough theatre criticising the concept of a repressive state as done by many western playwrights.
In Chaka, the root searching dramatist Al Deen has touched the burning issue through the narratives of the common people and nature.
Correctly, in the concluding remark of the published book Chaka, the late playwright wrote that Chaka was not any symbolic play neither was his intention to present the reality.
‘But, if anybody interprets the play as an explanation of an occurrence, I’ll not disagree,’ the remark reads.
A poet by nature, Selim Al Deen wrote the katha natya, the term developed and used for the play by the theoretician and playwright in 1990, mourning the deaths of the innocents who had been killed by the law enforcing agencies during the anti-autocratic movement of the country in 1986-87.
It is really a challenge for the young director Sudip Chakrobarthy to present the very popular play for the contemporary audience as a production by the theatre department of Dhaka University since Chaka had already been staged by the leading troupes at home and abroad in Bangla, Hindi and English.
As a director, Sudip has remained very authentic to the text of the play and the traditional concept of narrative style where the narrators unfold a story to the audience.
But, special aspects of Sudip’s directorial composition remain in experimentation on creating frequent visual images onstage and in establishing the prominent characters through fixed actors.
Usually, in the conventional narrative presentations, the narrators enact the characters through transformation of gestures and movements.
Despite having three narrators in the play, Sudip has used four actors- Mahzabin Islam, Nusrat Sharmin, Sushanta Kumar Sarkar and Khan M Rafikul Islam- in the major characters of the katha natya production to tell a simple story: the tedious journey to carry the body of a ‘sarkari lash’ [a person killed by the government agency] that does not reach its destination.
All these skilled actors as cart pullers named Naher Garoan and his associates in their futile journey develop an emotional attachment with the unwanted body, even though they don’t find the right destination as everybody refuses to accept the body claiming the address and the name of the body Hossain Ali mentioned in blurred letters in the government note do not match.
Supported by the musicians, three energetic narrators- Mehedi Tanzir, Syeda Ifat Ara and Laboni Aktar- have successfully created different visuals of the imageries and myths created by Al Deen in the text where trees, bees and other natural elements mourn for the dead body.
But the use of some of these visuals sometimes appear meaningless and not well established, for instance, the display of traditional scroll painting and use of puppet theatre.
The use of some realistic props also appears too ornamented. Sudip as the director appeared monotonous by the end of the play, especially in case of employing a conch shell sound effect to announce the end of the play.
However, the use of circular performing space in the production successfully reflects the inherent message of the play: state as a repressive authority appears repeatedly and the concept of the welfare state, in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens, is just a far cry.
Chaka was produced by the theatre department of Dhaka University. It was premiered a day before Selim Al Deen’s 64th birth anniversary on August 17 at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
The department also orgnaised a five-day staging of the play at the Natmandal at Dhaka University that ended on Tuesday.

-With New Age input

Related News

Jatra Utsab kicks off at Suhrawardy Udyan

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com A seven-day Jatra Utsab, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, began on Friday on the the Mukta Mancha stage of the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. The academy aimed to revive cultural practices at all social layers after the student-led July mass-uprising. The festival features seven historical and social story-based Jatra, the popular ... Read more

Kalim Sharafi’s death anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 14th anniversary of the death of Independence Award-winning cultural activist-Tagore exponent Kalim Sharafi. Born on May 8, 1924 in Birbhum of West Bengal, British India to Syed Sami Ahmed and Begum Aliya, Kalim Sharafi developed a passion for music at an early age. He recorded 18 albums, 15 ... Read more

Scholastica students stage Walt Disney’s ‘Tangled’ at Uttara campus

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The students of Drama, Music and Dance clubs of Scholastica senior campus in Uttara staged the Walt Disney’s musical adventure comedy play titled Tangled at the STM Hall of the campus on Thursday and Friday. François Grosjean, director of Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, attended the shows as chief guest and enlightened ... Read more

Artist Samarjit Roy Chowdhury’s 2nd death anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com oday is the second anniversary of the death of artist Samarjit Roy Chowdhury. Born in 1937 in Cumilla, Samarjit Roy graduated in graphic design from the then Government Art Institute, now the faculty of fine art, Dhaka University, in 1960. He joined the Dhaka University and worked for 43 years, and ... Read more

BSA to reopen National Theatre Hall on Friday

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is scheduled to reopen the National Theatre Hall and its two rehearsal rooms on Friday, said a press release on Monday. The theatre troupe can stage one show in one shift, and they have to give the member lists of troupes involved with productions at the BSA office. ... Read more

Nazrul’s grandson Kazi Anirban passes away

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Kazi Anirban, the grandson of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, passed away on Wednesday (October 3) in Switzerland due to a heart attack. He was the eldest son of Kazi Aniruddha, the rebel poet’s youngest child. Nazrul Sangeet artiste Khilkhil Kazi, daughter of Nazrul’s eldest son Kazi Sabyasachi, confirmed the news ... Read more

Nazrul’s 125th birth anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 125th birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. The birth anniversary of Nazrul, widely known as the rebel poet, is observed in Bangladesh on Jyaishtha 11, according to the Bangla calendar. Nazrul, a poet, lyricist, composer, playwright, novelist, revolutionary and journalist, sang equally for freedom and love. ... Read more

Mrinal Sen’s birth anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 101st anniversary of the birth of the legendary Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen. Born on May 14, 1923 in Faridpur, Mrinal Sen moved to Kolkata to study and became involved in left-wing politics, cultural activities, and film production. One of the most politically active filmmakers, he, after having studied ... Read more

Zainul Abedin’s 109th birth anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 109th anniversary of the birth of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin. On the occasion, different organisations and admirers will pay tribute to Zainul Abedin placing floral wreaths on his grave on the Dhaka University premises in the morning. Zainul is best known for his sketches of the Bengal famine of ... Read more

Manik Bandopadhyay’s death anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 67th anniversary of the death of Bengali novelist and short story writer Manik Bandopadhyay. Born on May 19, 1908 to Harikar Bandopadhyay and Niroda Devi in Dumka, a small town in Santal Parganas district in the state of Bihar, British India, Manik Bandopadhyay was the fifth of the ... Read more

Qayyum Chowdhury ’s death anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the ninth anniversary of the death of acclaimed artist Qayyum Chowdhury. Born on March 9, 1932 in Feni, Qayyum Chowdhury’s works delve deep into folk, rustic life and traditions. Fish, flowers, women, birds and greenery are recurring objects on his canvas. He graduated from the Government Institute of Arts ... Read more

Festival honoring cultural diversity called “Sadhu Mela.”

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organize “Sadhu Mela” on November 28 in a colorful demonstration of cultural diversity carrying on the custom that dates back to 2019. Taking place on the day of Fakir Lalon Shai’s Disappearance Day on every full moon, the event has become a noteworthy regular event in the ... Read more

‘Quarantine’ exhibition by artist Mahbubur Rahman begins today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The opening ceremony of the exhibition comprising multi-dimensional artworks of artist Mahbubur Rahman will be held today at 5 pm. The exhibit titled, “Quarantine”, has been organised at the Kamrul Hasan Exhibition (level 1) of Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi. Professor Bulbul Osman, women and human rights activist Khushi Kabir and artist ... Read more

SM Sultan’s 29th death anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 29th anniversary of the death of renowned artist SM Sultan. Different organisations, including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, SM Sultan Foundation and Narail district administration will pay tribute to SM Sultan organising daylong programmes at different venues in Narail’s Sultan Smriti Sangrahasala, Shishu Swarga and Zila Shilpakala Academy. Born on ... Read more

‘Tasher Desh’ staged at Scholastica school

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com With immense zeal and fervour, Scholastica Senior Campus, Mirpur staged the splendid play ‘Tasher Desh’, a masterpiece by the revered poet Rabindranath Tagore. The school’s STM hall served as the majestic environment for this two-day annual drama festival, culminating on a Friday. The talented students, members of the esteemed drama, music, ... Read more

Poet Asad Chowdhury passes away

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Noted poet Asad Chowdhury died of old-age complications while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Toronto, Canada on Thursday. He was 80. The poet ‘died at 3:03am Canada time’ and ‘at 1:03pm Bangladesh time’, the poet’s son-in-law Nadim Iqbal posted on facebook Thursday afternoon. The poet died at the Lakeridge Health ... Read more

Shilpakala inaugurates nationwide puppet festival

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com A twelve day long puppetry festival titled “Gonojagoron er Putul Natya Utshob” inaugurated on Friday. Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has organised the nationwide festival . According to BSA, puppetry is one of the most effective means of folk education. Through its presentation and stylistic approach over the ages, puppetry has played a ... Read more

SD Burman’s birth anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 117th anniversary of the birth of legendary singer and music director Sachin Dev Burman. SD Burman, born in 1906 in Cumilla, composed playbacks for over 100 films. Leading singers of the Indian subcontinent like Lata Mangeskhar, Mohammad Rafi, Geeta Dutta, Manna Dey, Asha Bosle, Mukesh and Talat Mahmud ... Read more

Shilpakala Academy organizes exhibition of artist Ismail Chowdhury’s artwork

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organized a solo painting exhibition of painter Ismail Chowdhury. Painter Ismail Chowdhury has participated in more than half a hundred solo and joint exhibitions in various countries including Bangladesh, Japan, USA, Italy, Nepal, and Bhutan, reads a press release. The elite and talented artists of the country have ... Read more

Feroza Begum’s 9th death anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the ninth anniversary of the death of the legendary Nazrul Sangeet singer Feroza Begum. Feroza Begum was born on July 28, 1926 to Khan Bahadur Mohammad Ismail and Begum Kawakabonnessa. Drawn to music at an early age, Feroza Begum started her formal music education under the tutelage of Chitta ... Read more