Theatre Groups organisations that perform plays. herasim
steppanovich lebedeff established the first Natyagosthi in calcutta in 1795,
which made zamindars (landlords) and connoisseurs of drama
interested in the theatre so that they began establishing one
dramatic club after another. Though the people of dhaka did not
response to the theatre with much enthusiasm as the people of
Calcutta, a number of dramatic groups eg, namely Illisium Theatre
(1888), Crown Theatre (1890-92), etc, were established in Dhaka
during the pre-partition period. Some of the drama groups worth
mentioning that were established outside Dhaka are Khulna Theatre
(1900), Coronation Dramatic Club, Tangail (1911), Dinajpur Natya
Samiti (1913), etc. Dramatic Clubs and groups established after the
partition of India in 1947 in Dhaka include Habib Productions
(1952), Drama Circle (1955), Kheyali Group Theatre (1969), etc. A
number of dramatic groups became active in independent Bangladesh
after 1971, which gave a new momentum to the theatre movement.
Details of some of these dramatic clubs established in pre-1947
Calcutta and in present day Bangladesh are detailed below:
Ananya '79 established in Kushtia
in November 1979, it aims to redress the inegualitics that exist in
society through drama. The group's principle is to stage quality
plays from any country to create a vital culture. Jvalatan
by Kachi Khandakar was the first play produced by Ananya. The group
first performed the play in a contest arranged under the auspices
of Zila Shilpakala Academy, Kushtia. Noted plays staged by the
group include Kabar (The Grave) by munier
chowdhury, Basan
(The Plate) by Selim Al-Din, Ebang Indrajit (And Indrajit)
by Badal Sarkar, Itihas Kande (History Cries Out) by Radha
Raman Ghosh, Nagar Bhabaner Nagar (Libertine in the Mayor's
House) by Sunil Kumar, etc. The group has performed plays all over
Bangladesh including at the Shilpakala Academy and at the Mahila
Samiti stage in Dhaka, and has attempted to contribute to the
theatre movement.
Anirban
Sanskritik Sangathan established in Darshana
in 1983 to foster a vibrant culture, this group set off with famous
play, Kabar (The Grave) by Munier Chowdhury. In addition to
regular performances, Anirban chalks out colourful programmes to
observe Pahela Baishakh, (Bangla New Year's Day), Drama festivals,
World Drama Days. It also arranges musical programmes and
recitations. It has participated actively in movements against
communalism and autocracy. Anirban has so far produced 29 plays
where it has depicted the crises faced by humanity, society, and
the state. Manyabar Bhul Karchhen by Bishnu Basu, based on
Twelve Angry Men of Reginald Rose, is considered to be the
most remarkable production of this group. They performed this play
in the Jatiya Natyotsab (National Drama Festival), 1998. [Zillur
Rahman John]
Anushilan Natyadal a Rajshahi
University-based theatre group which was founded on 8 April 1979
with the objective of bringing about social change through the
stage. Maloy Bhowmik, TM Zahid Hossain, Sukhen Mokhopadhyay,
Shamsul Alam, Abdul Mannan and Taher Bin Shelley were among its
pioneers. So far, a total of 34 plays, of which seven were
performed on the stage and twenty-seven are street-theatres have
been produced by this organisation. The first stage-play they put
up was Ora Kadam Ali (They are the Kadam Alies) (1980) by
Mamunur Rashid. Since most of its members are students, it
organises university workshops at regular intervals. Because of its
initiative, The Rajshahi University Cultural Alliance was formed in
1984 to co-ordinate activities of different cultural organisations
of the university. It has obtained membership of the bangladesh group
theatre federation in
November 2001. This organisation has also performed in the open and
it has played an active role in the movement for open theatre in
the northern as well as other parts of the country.
It was because of the
initiative of this organisation that the first national conference
of the Bangladesh Mukta Natak Dal (Bangladesh Open Theatre Group)
was held at Rajshahi University in 1986. Shatagranthi (1991)
and Kinu Kaharer Thetar (1998) were staged, respectively, in
the first and second national theatre festivals, held under the
joint auspices of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and
Shilpakala Academy. Anushilan Natyadal has been able to popularise
theatre at different places through holding various workshops on
theatre, seminars, poster exhibitions, and through productions, on
the one hand, and has also helped in creating social-consciousness
through a progressive theatre movement, on the other. [Wahida
Mallik]
Aranyak Natyadal one of the leading
theatre groups, was established during the freedom struggle of the
country. Initially, the plays of Aranyak were inspired by the
spirit of the liberation struggle, its tragedies, as well as the
sense of pride it fostered in us. Later, the group started
incorporating other themes into its plays such as the long-existing
class-struggle in the country and the frustrations of the people
due to political uncertainty and the turmoils of the
post-liberation period. The group came into prominence with the
launching of Ora Kadam Ali, a play written and directed by
Mamunur Rashid, a prolific theatre activist, actor and director of
the country, whose plays usually concern the lives of the common
people, their struggles and aspirations, and their exploitation by
the rich and privileged class. The group is dedicated to the stage
theatre movement and has achieved outstanding success in the field.
Apart from Ora Kadam Ali, other noteworthy productions of
the group are Iblish, Nankar Pala, Pathar,
Agunmukha, Sat Puruser Rn, Jay-Jayanti and
Prakrtajan-katha Bale. Apart from original
plays, Aranyak Natyadal has also produced a translated version of
Shakespeare's Coriolanus. Mamunur Rashid is the major
playwright of the group, but the group also performs plays by other
playwrights such as Abdullahhel Mahmud and Mannan Hira. Apart from
the group's metropolitan activities, it also has an extensive
folk-based programme for remote areas of the country named Mukta
Natak (Open Theatre). In 1991 it started a professional repertory
company known as Bangla Theatre. During the bicentennial
celebrations of modern Bangla drama, Bangla theatre staged
Lebedeff, based on the life and work of Gerasim Stepanovich
Lebedeff, the pioneer of the proscenium theatre in Bengal. [Ataur
Rahman]
Arindam Natya Sampraday (Chittagong) a few energetic and
enterprising drama workers, closely connected with drama
performances in Chittagong city, founded the Arindam Natya
Sampradaya on 15 May 1974. From the very beginning they have been
selecting and staging plays to uphold human values and to nurture a
vibrant culture. Moreover, they emphasised the war of independence
in 1971 and the changed circumstances of the country after
independence. They have so far produced more than 18 dramas and
made 400 presentations. Most of these have reflected rural life and
society. They have also staged the plays of Chekhov, Brecht or
Tolstoy. They always try to avoid being melodramatic and cheap
publicity. They mainly staged plays at proscenium stages. Their
major productions include Pap Punya written by Lev Tolstoy
and dramatised by Ajitesh Bandyopadhyay, lalsalu written by
syed
waliullah and dramatised by
Shishir Dutta and Munir Helal, Sajan Megh written by Santanu
Kaiser, Falafal Nimnachap, Backwall,
Yaminir Shes Sanglap, Mallikar Chokhe Jal, Bhola
Maynar Baoskope, etc. From the beginning Orindam has been
organising drama workshops, seminars and drama festivals, besides
staging dramas. They have taken an active part in many cultural
functions of national importance. [Zillur Rahman John]
Baghbazar
Amateur Theatre (1868-72) was formed by a group of young,
middle-class Bengalis at a time when theatrical performances were
confined to the houses of a few rich aristocrats, where general
admission was restricted. The object of forming Baghbazar Amateur
Theatre was to perform theatrical shows for ordinary people. The
first theatrical performance here was a jatra show of
Sharmistha by michael madhusudan
dutt in 1867. Sadhabar
Ekadashi by Dinabandhu Mitra was staged by them in October
1868, during the durga
puja festival. Dinabandhu
mitra's farce, Biye Pagla Budo, and Lilavati, a
social drama, were staged here subsequently. Among those associated
with this theatre weregirish chandra
ghosh, Nagendra Banerjee,
Amritalal Mukherjee, ardhendu shekhar
mustafi, Kshetramohan
Ganguly, Mahendra Basu, and Motilal Sur. Most of them later became
leading personalities of Bangla public theatre. The concept of
Bangla public theatre evolved from the Baghbazar Amateur Theatre.
[Ganesh Mukhopadhyay]
Baguda (Bogra)
Natyagosthi established on 29 May 1980 in Bogra. A group of
youth who had returned from the war of
liberation formed the group
to tackle the frustration of war-returned youths and to meet the
political change of the country, and to counter the anarchic
situation existing in the country. They were also inspired by the
Gram Theatre movement of Dhaka Theatre.
AH Azam Khan and Tawfiq
Hassan Maina were founder president and secretary respectively of
the group. The group soon gained fame through its multifarious
welfare activities. Introduction of Baisakhi Mela is one of its
endeavours that has been lauded. In addition, recovery of almost
extinct art objectives and presenting them adequately, helping
victims during emergencies, participating in vaccination
programmes, staging plays for the masses are among the goals of
this group.
The group has so far
produced over 1000 shows of their 57 plays. Their successful
productions includes Ksyapa Paglar Pyanchal (A Madman's
story), Election Caricature, Ei Deshe Ei Beshe (This
country, this dress), Hallabol (Itullaballo), Sonabhaner
Pala (Play of Sonabhan), etc. Bogra Theatre has participated in
different theatre festivals and their plays have been telecast on
Bangladesh Television. The group is still active despite its
limited facilities.
Baguda (Bogra) Theatre established on 15 February 1972 in Bogra, with Dr
Nanigopal Debdas and Shyamal Bhattachariya as founder president and
secretary respectively. It was the first group in Bogra who
subscribed to the ideals of the group theatre movement. This group
believes that plays reflect not only human life, but also indicate
ways how a life should be lived. Group members believe that the
theatre is not merely a medium for entertainment but an art
engraved in life. This group has nourished such ideals throughout
its first 10 years.
The workers of Edward
Dramatic Association, established in 1906 in Bogra joined this
group at one point. As a result, a happy union of experienced and
amateur stage hands put Bogra Natyagosthi in a unique position.
This group was praised for its excellent production of
Dandakaranya (Dandak forest) by Munier Chowdhury, which was
staged in the First National Drama Festival in 1977 at Dhaka
Shilpakala Academy. Since then, the group has been staging plays
almost everywhere throughout the country. It has also presented
plays on Radio Bangladesh and Bangladesh Television. The group has
so far staged 326 shows of its 38 plays. [Shyamal
Bhattacharya]
Bahubachan a few
youths who had participated actively in the War of Liberation
formed the group on 2 February 1972 in Dhaka to promote play-going.
Bahubachan believes that the theatre is not only a medium of
enjoyment but is deeply rooted in human life.
The group staged its first
play Lilalasya commercially. Initially it staged
Sabhapati Balben (The President will speak), Ami Raja
Haba Na (I shall not be King), Sarpa Bisayak Galpa
(Story about snakes) and Niranjan Phire Eso (Come back
Niranjan). The plays produced by the group includes 750
Singha (750 Lions), Bipanna Dharapat (Endangered
Tables), Ghatak Deshkal (The Killer Time and the Nation),
Nandita Narake (In Hell), Pratidin Ekdin (One Day
Every Day), Nekde (The Wolf), Chak Bhanga Madhu
(Honey from the Hive), Oedipus, Swadeshi Naksha
(Native Map), Yantra Tantra, etc. Bahubachan staged Tin
Paysar Pala based on Three Penny Opera by Bertolt Brecht
at the Mahila Samiti stage on the occasion of National Drama
Festival, 1991. In addition to production of plays, the group has
arranged seminars and workshops on Drama related issues.
Bahrupi (Calcutta) promoted the progressive theatrical
movement started by the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA).
Initially, Bahurupi was headed by shambhu
mitra who directed the play
Nabanna and also acted in it. Nabanna occupies a
significant role in theatre for the masses. Later, with the help of
this group Shambhu Mitra, enriched the stage and theatrical
practice of Bengal. As a group Bahurupi was set up in 1948. In 1949
a charity show was organised to collect funds for release of
prisoners. For this purpose the actors of Bahurupi staged tulsi
lahiri's play
Pathik.
Among them were not only
Shambhu Mitra and Tulsi Lahiri but also Manoranjan Bhattacharya,
Kali Sarker, Amar Ganguly, Sabitabrata Dutta and Tripti Mitra. On
17 December 1950 Bahurupi Natya Utsab (Bahurupi Theatre Festival)
was held at the New Empire Stage. In the festival three plays was
staged: Tulsi Lahiri's Chhedatar and Pathik, and Sri
Sanjib's Ulukhagda. In the festival Chhendatar, a
play done in a unique style, was performed to acclaim. Later,
Chhendatar was staged in China. Moreover, it was acted and
translated into different languages such as Urdu, Punjabi, Marathi.
Bahurupi then began staging one play after another. It stirred
viewers with its prodicton of rabindranath
tagore's Char Adhyay
and Raktakarabi, Dashchakra, a translation of Ibsen's
play by Shanti Bose. On 21 December 1954 Bahurupi brought the
Bengal stage great honour by staging Raktakarabi in the
First National Theatre Festival held at Sapru House in
Delhi.
Bahurupi can claim credit
for making Tagore's plays attractive to ordinary people through its
attractive production and acting. Bahurupi has staged 32 new plays
from October 1949 to 9 December 1971. Among them are seven plays by
Rabindranath Tagore (Char Adhyay, Raktakarabi,
Svargiya Prahasan, Dakghar, Muktadhara,
Bisarjan, Raja), three by Tulsi Lahiri
(Pathik, Chhendatar, Chauryananda), six by
Shambhu Lahiri, two of Ajit Gangopadhyay, one by Shanti Bose, one
by manmatha
roy, one by Gangapada Basu,
one by Kumar Roy, and other translated plays from home and abroad.
Among other plays produced by Bahurupi are Sophocles's King
Oedipus, Badal Sarkar's Pagla Ghoda, Baki Itihas,
Shudrak's Mrchchhvakatik, Brecht's Galilio, Manoj
Mitra's Rajdarshan, and Aguner Pakhi, etc. On 1 May
1974 Bahurupi celebrated 25 years of its life through staging
Rabindranth's play Raja at the Akademi Auditorium. By now
Bahurupi has not only established a theatrical tradition and acting
style through its tireless efforts but has also been able to create
fresh interest in the theatre in the viewers' mind. As a result, it
has become possible to form excellent theatre groups, to write good
plays and to act in them. The net affect os that the number of
theatergoers has increased substantially.
Barisal Natak established in Barisal Town on 7 April 1977. It
participates in different group theatre programmes. The group has
so far produced at least hundred shows of over 30 of its own
dramas. Among the most noted plays produced by this group are:
Subachan Nirbasane (Good bye noble words), Abarta
(The Whirlpool), Bhorer Michhil (Procession in the morning),
Sajano Bagan (Well-decorated garden), Ora Kadam Ali
(The Havenots), Zamindar Darpan (Portrait of zamindars),
Samaj (The Society) and Lalsalu (The Red-cotton
cloth). Barisal Natak staged Yuddha Ebang Yuddha (The War)
in the National Drama Festival, 1991. [Zillur Rahman John]
Bodhan Theatre established in Kushtia
in 26 August 1979. The group members, in addition to entertaining
their audience through the theatre, want to inspire them to think
creatively about life and worldly affairs. This group favours
staging plays free from the theatre of censorship.
Bodhan played a vital role
in the 5th convocation of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation
held in Kushtia in 1985. In addition, it has participated in
different drama related activities. Since inception, the group has
so far performed 146 shows of their 4 open-air and 11 stage plays.
Important plays staged by this group are: Ksyapa Paglar
Pyanchal (Tirade of a madman), Engit (The Signal),
Chor Chor (Thief Thief), Alo Ektu Alo (Light, more
light), etc. The group has produced 37 and 19 shows of their first
two plays.
Masum Reza, Seikh Mohammad
Mohiuddin and Md. Aslam Ali are the playwrights associated with
this group. Bodhon has staged plays in different places of
Bangladesh including Rangpur, Comilla, Sylhet, Habiganj,
Jhenaidaha, Meherpur. Bodhon has received many prizes for their
productions, eg, participating in the Drama Contest arranged by
Rangpur Shikha Sangsad in 1983 and in the Federation National Drama
Festival held in 1985. The group has observed Tagore's birth
anniversary both at local and national levels, ekushey
february and World Drama
Day and has participated in theatre related activities.
Coronation Dramatic Club was established in
Tangail in 1911. In those days, plays in Tangail were usually
staged irregularly in different permanent and temporary stages
under the auspices of landlords. In a one-month exhibition held in
Tangail in 1910 successful productions of Ali Baba and
Mayur Singhasan (Peacock shaped Throne) attracted some
youths, who later had established the Coronation Dramatic Club.
Initially, they made an office and a stage for the group in a
fallow land owned by Jadunath Bhattacharya. These were later
shifted in 1944 to Coronation Park, a strip raised from the
riverbed. Club members readied the plot and made a tin-roofed and
walled opera house equipped with six hundred seats and a temporary
stage suitable for theatre productions. The group staged important
plays by Jyotirindranath Tagore, Girish Chandra Ghosh, DL Roy,
Amritalal Basu, etc.
Coronation Dramatic Club
collected and made own costumes, musical instruments, sceneries,
daylights (Kerosene), and air-lights (Lamp), sky wings for the
stage, and a wooden stage by 1956. They also rented out the stage
to different organisations for staging plays and cultural
programmes. It was converted into a cinema hall in 1958.
At present, the club has
182 members who are continuing its activities. Coronation produced
35 plays between 1956 and 1998. Its prominent productions include
that of Ulka (1956), Mayamrga (1958), Keranir
Jiban (Life of a clerk, 1963), Dvipantar (Deportation,
1965), Ksudha (Hunger) (1969), Nati Binodini (1973),
Kinu Kaharer Theter (1990), Zamindar Darpan (1994),
etc. Women acted for the first time in Tangail in Ulka in
1956. Purnima Sen and Gita Dutta were the first women actors.
Coronation also used wooden framed two-storied sets in this play.
Syed Nurul Huda, Golam Ambia, Aktaruzzaman Khan, K Chakravarty,
Subinoy Das, Farook Quraishi, etc, directed different plays
produced by the club.
Crown Theatre established between 1890 to 1992 in old Dhaka by members
of Sanatan Natya Samaj. The Crown Theatre stage was set up after
the demolition of purbabanga
rangabhumi. It operated
professionally for a long time since its inception. Local actresses
acted in its productions. This was something of a novelty in Dhaka.
Purna Chandra (Full Moon) by Girish Chandra Ghosh was its
first production. Plays were showed on Mondays, Wednesdays and
Saturdays. Among the major plays performed by the group are:
Chaitanyalila, Naladamayanti, Kapalkundala,
Mrnalini, Jana, Prafulla, laily-majnu,
Anarkali, Kedar Roy, Sur Sundari, Meera
Bai, Raja Bahadur and Abu Hossain.
At one point objections of
local people compelled the group to move to Islampur. The ownership
of the company changed hands more than once. Its monopoly was
broken in 1817 when some of its performers left the organisation
and joined the newly formed Diamond Jubilee Theatre. Later, the
Crown was transformed into a cinema hall. [Zillur Rahman
John]
Dhaka Little Theatre established in Dhaka on 1 October 1978 to promote the
mental development of children through training and performance in
the theatre. Fayez Ahmed, Serajul Islam Chowdhury, Nazma Jesmeen
Chowdhury, Morshedul Islam, Mazharul Islam, etc, played vital role
in forming this group. Nasiruddin Yusuf and Afzal Hossain were its
advisors. Taser Desh, the first production of this group,
was staged in February 1979. Nazma Jesmin simplified Tagore's
original for Children. The group staged 41 shows till 1999. The
main productions of Dhaka Little Theatre have been: Yeman Khushi
Sajo (Dress as you like), Bajranal (Thunder ball),
Hirak Rajar Deshe (In the land of King Hirok), Sada
Patharer Deshe (In the land of white stone), Chandan Bayatir
Gaon (Singer Chandan's village), Abar Arunoday (Again
sunrise), Bhay Karlei Bhay (Scared if you are scared),
Venice Saodagar (Merchant of Venice), Gomar Fans
(Secret disclosed), Jujubudi (Witch), etc. [Anupam
Hayat]
Dhaka Padatik established on 13 March 1980. This group performs plays
based on the history of Bangladesh, its soil, people and their
struggle for survival. The theatre workers of this group believe
that plays are rooted deep in human lives and therefore, they put
up productions to get to the roots of our lives.
Mukhomukhi Kangsa
(Face to face Kans) is the first play that the group has staged.
Dhaka Padatik staged Ei deshe Ei Beshe (This country in this
dress) at the Mahila Samiti stage on 23 January 1990 in the drama
festival organised by Nagarik Natya Sampraday. This had over 100
performances. Dhaka Padatik staged Janatar Shatru (a Bangla
translation of Enemy of the People by Henrick Ibsen at the
Shilpakala Academy stage at the National Drama Festival 1991
organised on the occasion of the 20th year of the War of
Liberation. They staged a revised version of bisad-sindhu at the
National Drama Festival, 1998. Other plays produced by the group
are: Ksyapa Paglar Pyanchal (open air drama), Sojan
Badiyar Ghat, Election Caricature, Talpatar
Sepoy, Inspector General, Engit (Signal - over
100 shows), Raksas-Khokkas (Demons), Socrateser
Sandhan (In search of Socrates), Gani Mia Ekdin (Gani
Mia in a day), Ah (Oh) Comrade, Bichar Bibhrat (Error
in judgement), Amina Sundari (Beautiful Amina),
Bisad-Sindhu (2nd Part), Fera (Return),
Rupkumar, Brtta (Circle), Yadukar (Wizard),
Gadha Bazar (Idiot market), etc.
The number of shows, both
stage and open air, and performed by Dhaka Padatik has exceeded a
hundred. They have also performed in different district town
outside Dhaka and have participated in a drama festival in
Calcutta. The group often arranges workshops on drama to improve
the expertise of its group members. In addition, Dhaka Padatik
participates actively in Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation
activities and Sanmilita Sanskritik Oikya Jot arranged cultural
programmes. They also chalk out different programmes on the
occasion of World Drama Day, different national
days, may
day, etc. [Zillur Rahman
John]
Dhaka Theatre a theatre group
established in Dhaka in 1973, and one of the pioneers of the
neo-theatre movement in the country. Its members believe that
theatre should depict the life of the people and therefore
endeavour to find a theatrical expression which will truly depict
the country and its people. To achieve this goal, the group
emphasises the traditional performing art forms and has tried to
mingle old forms with modern ideas and technologies. The group's
productions have been appreciated for their artistry as well as
their portrayal of Bangladeshi themes. Selim Al-Din is the leading
playwright of the group. He writes plays based on the indigenous
epic style of mangalkavyas,
maimansingha-gitika, etc.
Nasiruddin Yousuff directs the plays of Dhaka Theatre and has very
ably directed most of Selim Al-Din's plays. Dhaka Theatre has
staged about 26 plays, of which Muntasir Fantasy, Fani
Manasa, Kittankhola, Keramat Mangal, Hat
Hadai, Chaka and Banapangshul have been acclaimed
both within and outside the country. The group has also staged
Bangla versions of The Resistible Rise and Fall of Arturo Ui
by Bertolt Brecht and Merchant of Venice by William
Shakespeare. Dhaka Theatre has also taken up a theatre programme
known as Gram Theatre which stages plays enacted by villagers in
any available open space. Dhaka Theatre has about 50 members;
prominent among them are Nasiruddin Yusuf, Shimul Yusuf, Humayun
Faridi, Subarna Mustafa, Raisul Islam Asad, Pijush Bandyopadhyay,
Shahidul Islam Selim and Shomi Kaiser. [Ataur Rahman]
Diamond Jubilee Theatre see Theatre
Stage.
Dinajpur Natya Samiti a dramatic organisation established in 1913 in Dinajpur.
In 1904 the Diamond Jubilee Theatre was founded at Kshetripara in
Dinajpur on the initiative of Haricharan Sen. There was, however,
some disagreement among the group. The break-away group, led by
Bhupal Chandra Sen, set up a new organisation called the Dinajpur
Natya Samiti. A play called Chandra Gupta, was staged as its
inaugural production. Among those who helped with the staging were
Zamindar Radha Govinda Chowdhury, Maharaja Jagadish Nath Roy, Dr
Jamini Sen, Nishikanta Roy Chowdhury, Girija Mohan Niogi, Marhamat
Hossain. Kulod Babu, Kunu Babu, Bibhuti Chand, and Hiranmoy Babu
portrayed the roles of female characters ably. Many plays staged in
the commercial theatres in Calcutta during 1913 to 1947 were
successfully staged by the Dinajpur Natya Samiti. Some changes
began to take place in the 1920s in the Natya Samiti when patronage
and financial support from the wealthy and the middle class started
to decline and when the Samiti became increasingly dependent upon
spectators. Plays like Prafulla, Raja Harishchandra,
Shajahan, Raja Nandakumar were staged at this time.
The institution remained inactive for five years after the
partition of India. Its stage was rented out to Modern Cinema Hall
in 1948-49.
Beginning in 1963, the
Samiti launched annual inter-district theatre festivals and acting
competitions. The activities of the Samiti were interrupted from
1981 to 1988 because of legal complications. The theatre festival
was suspended from 1983 to 1993, but restarted in 1994. The Natya
Samiti won nine prizes out of eleven by staging the play
Bhumikamper Pare in the inter-district theatre festival held
in Mymensingh. Despite innumerable trials and tribulations, the
organisation is still active. [Nazmul Ahsan]
Drama Circle was established on 6
October 1956. meer moksudus
salehin, the then DUCSU
cultural secretary played the pioneer role in forming the group. It
has introduced various innovations especially in lighting,
dressing, make-up and scenery setting.
Drama Circle produced its
first play Kabay (Pointers of Isphahan translated by
Banaful) at Curzon Hall on its opening day. Mahmud Hasan, Tawfiq
Aziz Khan, Jaharat Ara, Abid Hossain, Morshed Chowdhury, etc,
performed in this play. The group staged Manchitra by
anis
chowhury in Calcutta that
year. They also staged the play in Pakistan. The group became
ineffective during the sixties when Moksudus Salehin and akm bazlul
karim left for abroad.
However, it has regained its vitality after the Liberation of
Bangladesh. Plays produced by the Drama Circle have been performed
at Curzon Hall, Engineers Institute, US Information Centre, British
Council Auditorium and Mahila Samiti.
In addition to
conventional plays, Drama Circle stages Bangla translation of
Greek, English and American ones. They also stage melodramas and
symbolic and allegoric plays. Noted productions of this group are:
Keu Kichhu Balte Pare Na (No one is able to say anything,
1957), Raktakarabi by Tagore (1958), Taser Des
(1961), Raja Rani (King and Queen, 1961), Bahipir by
Syed Waliullah, Raja Oedipus (King Oedipus) by syed ali
ahsan (1962), Sabai Amar
Chhele (Everybody is my son, 1959), Kalbela (1962),
Arms and the Man (1963), Sajano Bagan (Decorated
garden, 1980), Chup Adalat Chalchhe (Hush, the court is in
session, 1984), etc. [Anupam Hayat].
Faridpur Theatre established on 1
February 1990 in Faridpur. Faridpur Theatre, a member of Bangladesh
Group Theatre Federation, aims to include novelty and modernism in
the theatre. In addition to open air plays and stage shows,
Faridpur Theatre focuses on folk-drama and participates in drama
competitions arranged in different parts of the country, including
Dhaka, and also arranges workshops and seminars on drama. This
group has also been publishing Natyarddhi, a journal for the
theatre.
Remarkable productions of
this group are: Doctor by Rabindranath Tagore, Kajal
Rekha, a play based on Maimansingha-Gitikar Pala (based
on songs of Mymensinghs), Bidyapith, etc. Faridpur Theatre
has so far produced 31 plays including 31 open-air ones. The group
has arranged over 200 performances of those plays.
Gananatya Sangha established in Bangalore, India in 1941. Its Mumbai
branch was established the following year. It emerged as Indian
People's Theatre Association (IPTA) in 1943 and established its
Bangla branch in Calcutta. This was just after the World War and
Bengal had been shattered by a famine then. There was frustration
in politics and despondency in social life and the cultural arena
was in grave crises. Theatres at that time were suffering from
monotonous plots based on unrealistic depiction of the life style
of the rich. The progressive writers and artists, at this stage of
cultural erosion, thus established Gananatya Sangha.
The Sangha began with
Agun (The Fire) by bijan
bhattacharya and
Laboratory by binoy
ghosh. In these play anger
against going hungry and reproach against a few rich men were
uttered for the first time on the nation's stage. A few months
after these shows, Gananatya showed Jabanbandi (Testimony)
by Bijan Bhattacharya. These plays were showed repeatedly before a
diverse audience consisting of the poor as well as the rich. The
Hindi and Gujrati version of Jabanbandi were staged in the
other provinces too.
Inspired by the success of
Jabanbandi, Gananatya Sangha staged Nabanna
(Ceremonial eating of new rice) by Bijan Bhattacharya, a story
based on the life of the hungry. Srirangam Hall was packed with
people from all walks of life on October 1944 in the Nabanna
premier show.
Gananatya Sangha came out
with its unique message, and distinctive style, replacing sterile
historical and mythological plays. The performers were
non-professional, politically conscious educated youths from
middle-class society. The Gananatya Sangha, especially with its
Bangla production of Nabanna had a great impact in the
dramatic arena. Gananatya Sangha Bastubhita (Homestead) by
Mitali Banerjee in 1947, which detailed refugee life in the early
post-partition days.
Salil Chowdhury depicted
the sorrows and joys of literary life and the miserable condition
of commoners in the play Janantik in 1949. Sanket, by
the same writer, was staged subsequently. Thereafter, with a view
to making the theatre pro-people, Gananatya Sangha staged plays on
other social issues. This resulted in friction with the government
and led to ban on some its shows. Some of these plays were:
Ajkal, Masijibi, Lalmati, Rahumukta,
Haripada Master, etc, by Bhanu Chatterjee. The Sangha even
had to discontinue shows of Sanket due to police
intervention. Later, they managed to stage the play in Rammohan
Library, but did so by retitling the play as Pratidhvani
(Echo).
Other important plays
produced by Gananatya Sangha are: Nildarpan, Mrtyu
Nei, Sankranti (Termination), Dheu (Wave),
Rater Atithi (Night guest), May Dibas (May Day),
Macbeth, Sangsaptak, Itihaser Pata (Pages from
the history), Long March, Haraner Nat Jamai
(Grandson-in-law of Haran), Santal Bidroha (Santal
revolution), Kaylar Rang (Colour of Coal), Sharater
Megh (Clouds in autumn), Ei Matite (In this soil),
Arunodoyer Pathe (In the path of sun-rise), etc. The Sangha
is still active and has established as many as 312 branches in 18
districts of West Bengal.
Ganayan Natya Sampraday a drama group founded on
17 September 1975, in Chittagong, believes that drama is for the
people and that plays should reflect class exploitation, revolution
and the struggle of people for emancipation. The group staged its
first street drama, Yay Din Faguno Din, by Milan Chowdhury
on 1 February 1976. In February 1977, it staged two plays, Gafur
Amina Sangbad and Charyapader Harini, on the grounds of
Chittagong Municipal Model High School.
The group is very active
and has staged approximately 300 shows of 18 plays since its
inception. It has participated in several drama festivals, such as
the Bangladesh Drama Festival of 1977 organised by the bangladesh
shilpakala academy, the
Group Theatre festival '79 organised by the Chittagong Group
Theatre workers, and the National Drama Festival '79 organised by
Dhaka Padatik. It also took part in the first National Street Drama
Festival organised by the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation in
February 1988, staging Abashese General. In the National
Drama Festival '91, organised in commemoration of twenty years of
the liberation war, the group staged Shes Sanglap, written
by Tawfiq Al-Hakim and dramatised by Jamil Ahmed and Saiful Alam
Chowdhury. The group brings out a journal called Ganayan.
[Zillur Rahman John]
Great National Theatre the changed name of Hindu National Theatre, Calcutta. The
group started performing at Great National Theatre stage (present
Minarva Theatre) established by Bhuban Mohan Neogi at Bidon Street
in 1873. The group started with Nildarpan and Bidhaba
Bibaha in January 1874. The group got a new life with Girish
Chandra Ghosh who wrote plays based on novels by Bankim
Chattopadhyay and who acted in the main role. The group earned fame
with the drama Mrnalini.
The group introduced a
significant change by recruiting women to act in female roles for
the first time on 19 September 1874. Noted plays performed by this
group are: Krishna Kumari by Madhusudan, Kapalkundala
by Bankimchandra, Purubikram and Kinchit Jalayog by
Jyotirindranath, Sati Ki Kalankini by Nagendranath Banerjee,
Macbeth, Ananda Kanan, etc. This group condition
worsened due to management and it eventually folded. [Ganesh
Mukhopadhyay]
Habib Productions a drama group named
after the famous director-producer Habibul Haq (1920-1965) was
established in 1952 in Dhaka. BA Khan, Kazi Nurus Sobhan, Seikh
Lutfar Rahman, Obaidul Haq Sarkar, Abid Hossain, etc, were then
involved with the group. This group was innovative in its choice of
plays, stage productions, and way of presentation. The group staged
its first play Nursing Home by sachindra nath
sengupta at Curzon Hall on
27-29 December 1952. On 6-7 May on the following year, it staged
Matir Manus by Habibar Rahman and Kalindi by
tarashankar
bandyopadhyay on 13-14 May.
Hese performances which were highly praised. Hosne Ara, Abid
Hossain, Jaharat Ara, Maminunnesa, Obaidul Haq Sarkar, Narayan
Chakraborty, Gita Dutta, Saifuddoullah and Sariful Alam performed
in Kalindi. The group, however, closed forever in its third
year. Still, it must be said that the group played a vital role in
the history of the theatre in post-partition Dhaka. [Anupam
Hayat]
Ilishiam Theatre though it began an amateur drama group in 1888, Illisium
Theatre was soon transformed into a professional drama organisation
and started to perform plays on payment.
Krishna Kishore Basak, a
Bench Clerk from the Dhaka Court organised the group. Kunjalal Nag,
principal, jagannath
college was its director.
They performed twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The
notable plays performed by the group are Bilwamangal,
Sakuntala, Sitar Banabash, Pravash Milan,
Nildarpan, etc. Bilvamangal, a drama based on Hindu
sacred works (purana) was very
popular with the audience. Mr Kunjalal Nag revised the original
play of Girish Chandra Ghosh, turning it into a melodrama.
Illisium Theatre faced the
wrath of the British Government for staging Nildarpan- a
play based on atrocities committed by English indigo planters. The
local administration objected to some of its scenes. At one stage
they stopped its shows taking recourse to the dramatic
performances act, 1876.
This ultimately resulted in the closure of the group.
Janantik Natya Sampraday found in 1978 in Comilla
to celebrate our heritage through the stage. They stage plays based
on real life stories. The group staged Bisarjan by Tagore in
the National Drama Festival in 1991. It has produced 183 shows of
its 29 plays. It has participated in drama competitions and
festivals arranged in different parts of the country including
Dhaka. In addition, it arranges seminars and symposiums on
different national and international occasions.
Jatrik Natyagosthi a drama group founded on
23 July 1975 in Comilla. Inspired by the group theatre productions,
the group stages plays which generally reflect day-to-day life and
thought and humanist ideals. It has so far produced 44 plays, of
which 39 are stage plays and 5 are street plays. They have been
staging plays by foreign and local dramatists, including Abdullah
Al-Mamun, Rashid Haider, Samaresh Basu, sharat chandra
chattopadhyay, Rabindranath
Tagore, Manoj Mitra, Momtajuddin Ahmed, Alauddin Al-Azad, Mamunur
Rashid, Golam Mostafa, Nurul Huq, alongside performing plays
written by their own members. The first production of Jatrik was
Subachan Nirbasane written by Abdullah Al-Mamun. Other plays
staged by the group include Bidyalankar Press, Baudir
Biye, Taila Sangkat O Bidagdha Ramanikul, Chhutir
Fande, Kabar, Ora Kadam Ali, Charidike
Yuddha, Sajano Bagan, Chapa Pada Manus,
Chandravati, Gazi Kalu Champabati, Iblish,
Jiban Jauban, etc. Jatrik has organised drama workshops and
seminars in Comilla and has participated in different drama
workshops, symposia and festivals held in Dhaka and other
districts.
Kheyali Group Theatre established on 17 December 1969 in Barisal Town with the
objective to promote progressive ideas, Bengali culture, Bengali
nationalism and, to introduce true plays. Kheyali workers
participated actively in the mass-upsurge in 1969 and in the War of
Liberation in 1971. In 1973, Kheyali began to operate
professionally and on the following year they started to promote
open-air plays.
Kheyali became a member of
the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation in 1980. They have staged
over four hundred shows of 50 plays over the period. Bangladesh
Television telecast their Ek Kalapahar in 1985. The group
emerged victorious twice in three Drama-contests arranged by
Barisal Cultural Academy.
Kheyali has also
participated in different Drama Contests arranged by Bangladesh
Group Theatre Federation, Kushtia Shilpakala Academy and Jatrik in
Comilla. In addition, the group has arranged five festivals and a
People's Theatre Festival and a folk cultural competition in its
hometown in Barisal. It has been running a school to teach
recitation and acting for the last few years. They also publish an
irregular drama periodical titled Natak. Kheyali published a
compilation of nine plays written by its member Mintu Basu and
Muktiyuddha O Pratibader Natak (a drama on War of
Liberation) in 1966 on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the
Liberation War. The group participated in the National Drama
Contest, 1998 arranged jointly by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
and Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and staged Gaurav
Gatha (A Story Woven out of Pride). [Zillur Rahman John]
Khulna Theatre came
into existence in 1900 in the city of Khulna as a result of the
initiative of some educated zamindars, businessmen and young men to
entertain the people of the city. Plays were performed on
improvised stage in an open playground opposite to the Coronation
Girls' School of Ahsan Ahmad Road in Khulna. The institution was
shifted to a small thatched cottage after some years. Khulna
Theatre evolved gradually under the direction of its founder
manager Bimalananda Dasgupta and secretary Kunjabihari Mukherjee.
The stage and theatre-hall were housed in a building made of bricks
and tin that was constructed around 1905-1906. The management of
Khulna Theatre changed its name to Khulna Natyamandir in 1924, and
renamed it Khulna Natya Niketon once again on 27 February 1966.
Among those who acted in Khulna Theatre before the liberation of
Bangladesh were Pramoda Dasgupta, Nirmal Sen, Manomohan
Chattopadhyay, Lohit Banerjee, Habibar Rahman (Mejho Bhai), Binoy
Sen (Haruda), Abdus Sabur Khan, Fazlur Rahman, and Afsar Uddin
Ahmed. People like Girish Ghose, Amritalal Basu, Nirmalendu Lahiri,
Danibabu, shishir
bhaduri, ahindra
chowdhury, Chhabi Biswas,
Mahendra Gupta, Anwar Hossain, Khan Zainul, Altaf, Golam Mostafa,
Hasan Imam, Sawkat Akbar, Anwara, Shabana, Saifuddin, Ranu from
Calcutta and Dhaka also performed for the theatre. More than one
thousand plays were performed by this organisation. A revolving
stage was introduced in 1973.
At present its organisers
are Abul Hashem, Abu Mohammad Ferdous, Mohammad Enamul Haque Milu,
Sheikh Sirajul Islam, Sukumar Samaddar, M Akram Hossain, and SM
Habib Dulal. A number of theatre activists have been staging dramas
written by themselves in the Khulna Theatre and produced by a new
management since 12 October 1981 with a view to making the theatre
suitable for mass education. Important plays performed by the group
are Gazi Kalu Champabati, Mahuyar Pala, Sat
Ma, Sukhi Ramani, Gunai Bibir Kechchha, Kamala
Sundari, Naksi Kanthar Math, etc. Khulna Theatre has its
own hundred-seat research centre named Khulna Laboratory Theatre.
It has been carrying out research regarding training, organising
seminars, producing plays, and publishing scripts. Rasheduzzaman,
Siddiqur Rahman, Sayedur Rahman, Safiqur Rahman Manik, AKM
Alauddin, Mufazzal Hossain, Delwar Hossain, Gopal Chandra Das, Khan
Mohammad Sarwar, Swapan Guha, Mohammad Abdullah, Atiar Rahman
Mollah, Mofizul Haque and Nazmul Ahsan have been associated with
the management of plays, acting, direction and play writing of the
Khulna Theatre since 1980s. [Nazmul Ahsan]
Lokanatya Dal established on 6 July 1981 in Dhaka, it is directed by
Liakat Ali Khan Lucky. The group has produced as many as 27 plays
up to 1999. In addition to staging plays, the group arranges, among
others things, theatre events, and distributes prizes. It has also
established an information bank, staging, publication, training
schemes. It also maintains liaison with other groups and
organisations dealing with drama.
Important plays produced
by this group are: Andho Nagarir Chaupat Raja (Bharatendu
Harishchandra), A Mid Summer Night's Dream (Shakespeare),
Rathayatra (Rabindranath Tagore), Bidhi O Byatikram
(Bertolt Brecht), Manus (Munier Chowdhury), Shilpi
(kazi nazrul
islam), Kanjus
(Molier), Helen (Uripidish), Padma Nadir Majhi
(manik
bandyopadhyay), Sonai
Madhab (dramatisation of ballad), Cinderella (Jobeda
Khanam), Raja O Rajadrohi (Rabindranath Tagore),
Madhumala (Kaji Nazrul Islam), etc. Kanjus, the
translated form of Molier's The Miser translated by Tariq
Anam into the colloquial language of Dhaka, has had 355 (upto 2000)
performances, a recovered in the history of Bangladeshi
drama.
Lokonatya Dal introduced
Veneration Award for cultural figures who have made significant
contribution to the cultural field. The first award declared went
to mohammad
zakaria. Since then, the
group has continued distributing the award on a yearly basis. The
group organised a Seven-day drama festival in Dhaka in 1998.
Loknatya Dal has staged plays in Delhi, Chandigarh, Shiligoori,
Katak, and in Hong Kong. The group set up the Children's Theatre
Group in 1990. People's Theatre Association, a sister organisation
of this group, also arranged drama festival for children in 1995,
1997 and 1999. [Anupam Hayat]
Nabarupi established in Dinajpur
in 1963 to remove monotony and stagnation in contemporary culture
and to bring new life to it. It started its operation by staging
Bara Ghanta. In addition to plays, they perform songs and
patronise literature too. Nabarupi has so far produced 50 plays and
put on 167 shows in total. In the First National Drama Festival,
Nabarupi staged Ityadi Dharaner Prabhrti (Miscellaneous
tendencies) and was awarded a prize. In the National Drama
Festival, 1991, the group staged Bihan Kande Sei Andhare
(Morning cries in that dark). In addition, the group has
participated in different drama festivals arranged in the district
towns for which it has got awards. [Zillur Rahman John]
Nagarik Natya Sampraday a pioneer theatre group,
established in Dhaka in 1968. Theatre performances in
pre-independent Bangladesh was done in very amateurish fashion.
Only occassionally were reflective and serious produced on the
stage. After the liberation war the importance of the theatre
increased subsequently. Nagarik was one of the first group to
perform plays in exchange for money. As a group it believes that a
good play transcends space and time and all citizens of the world
can claim it as their own. Thus world famous plays by Shakespeare,
Bertolt Brecht, Edward Albee, Erwin Shaw, Ferenc Molner, Carl
Zuchmayer, Molier, Albert Camus, Samuel Beckett, Michael Chekhov
and Rabindranath Tagore as well as Syed Waliullah and Syed Shamsul
Huq are among the 30 productions of Nagarik. Its first regular
production done in exchange for money was Baki Itihash.
Subsequent productions such as Sat Manuser Khonje, Dewan
Gazir Kissa, Shajahan, Achalayatan, Kopenicker
Captain, Nural Diner Sarajiban, Macbeth (jointly
performed with Theatre), Gador Pratiksay, Galileo,
and Irsa created a great sensation amongst the audience.
Nagarik's drama productions are popular because of their artistic
and aesthetic qualities as well as their relevance. Nagarik travels
home regularly and abroad with its production teams and have toured
India, UK and USA.
The group has 40 members
of whom Ali Zaker, Ataur Rahman, Abul Hayat, Sara Zaker,
Asaduzzaman Noor and Khaled Khan are especially prominent. [Ataur
Rahman]
Nandanik Natya Sampraday established on 16 October 1977 in Dhaka to stage
any important play of any country. Amar Sonar Harin
Chai (We want the golden deer), the first production of the
Nandanik Natya Sampraday was staged in its inaugural year. It
staged Bine Paisar Bhoj (The free feast) by Tagore and
Yaminir Shes Sanglap (Last dialogue of the night) based on
Antony Chekov's story. It staged the play Shasti (The
Punishment) in 1979 and Raktakarabi the following year. Both
plays were based on Tagore's story. It has staged the play
Sasti 56 times till now.
In addition to these
shows, the group has also staged Nrpati (The King) by
Humayun Ahmed, Hamlet by Shakespeare, Raja (The King)
by Tagore, Girgiti (Chameleon) based on Chekov's story,
Nil Paniya (The Sea) by Rajib Humayun, etc. Nandanik has so
far produced 15 plays and it has presented 200 shows in total.
Nandanik has been involved with the group theatre since its
formation.
Narayanganj Theatre established on 20 August
1976 in Narayanganj to produce original plays to uphold the image
of the War of Liberation. The group has played a vital role in the
drama arena and has staged over 200 shows of 50 plays. They staged
Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and Ghar Theke
Ghare (From house to house) by Kutubuddin in the National Drama
Festival in 1991 and 1998 respectively.
In addition to staging
dramaplays, Narayanganj Theatre also arranges solo plays, drama
contests, drama festivals, workshops on drama, etc. The group also
participates in drama contests and drama festivals arranged in
different parts of the country including Dhaka and has received
awards for its productions. [Zillur Rahman John]
Natyachakra a pioneer theatre group
that was established in Dhaka in 1972. The group was formed by
young theatre workers who took active part in the Liberation War of
Bangladesh. The guiding force of the group is the spirit of the
Liberation War and it still attempts to upholds that spirit. The
group has so far staged 35 full-length plays and 6 street plays. In
its early phase, it attracted widespread attention for plays such
as Samrat O Pratidvandvigan, Jaundice O Bibidha
Baloon and Kingshuk Ye Marute. Among its later
productions, Bhaddarnok, an adaption of Molier's drama,
Pratiksar Prahar, a translation of Jean Paul Sartre
and Chalk Circle, an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht became
very popular among the audience. In addition of its theatre
production, Natyachakra runs a theatre school called
Natyashiksangan in Dhaka from 1977. This school conducts a one-year
course on theatre covering both theoretical and practical aspects
of the stage. Mr M Hamid, a television producer as well as a
theatre organiser and a director has been directing Natyachakra.
Falguni Hamid, an eminent actress, and Dev Prashad Devnath, a
theatre organiser and a director are also actively associated with
Natyachakra.
Natyakendra a theatre group
established in Dhaka in 1990. Though relatively new, the group has
attracted the audience through the success and aesthetic quality of
its stage presentations. The group has a freshness that contrast
with hackneyed stage endeavours of many others. The group believes
that theatre is a multi-dimensional art form necessary for both art
and life. Natyakendra attempts to represent the stresses and
strains of life on stage. The workers of the group believe that
one-day people will be able to establish peace and happiness in the
world through their endeavours. Their production of Bichchu,
a play based on Molier's The Scoundrel Scapiu makd the group
well-known in the theatre circles of the country. By now it has
completed its 150th performance. The group has successfully staged
highly complex plays such as Tuglaq and Hayvadan by
Girish Karmad of India. The group has competently produced the
works of playwrights such as Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
The group has to its credit successful productions of Sukh
and Jera, Bangla adaptations of two Egyptian playlets on
themes relevant to the life of the people of Bangladesh.
The group performs plays
mainly at the Mahila Samiti and Girls Guide House Auditorium of New
Bailey Road, Dhaka. The group has crisscrossed the country with its
different productions. The group has 40 members and is led by Tariq
Anam, a leading theatre actor-director and playwright of the
country. [Ataur Rahman]
Padatik Natya Sangsad a drama group, founded
in Dhaka on 21 January 1978 by the former workers of Kalantar
Natyagosthi (1976). Padatik started its activities with the motto
'Let drama be the weapon for the struggle of life, let drama be the
expression of life'. The objective of this group is to enrich our
culture and to sustain the spirit of the War of Liberation.
Padatik's first performance was jasimuddin's
Sojan Bandiyar Ghat which was staged in 1978 at the British
Council Auditorium. The group then staged Kabar, a play
based on a poem by Jasimuddin, in the same auditorium. Through the
dramatised version of the poem, which tells the story of an old man
who has lost his wife whom he married while both were young,
Padatik has revealed an intimate portrait of rural Bengal.
Ksyapa Paglar
Pyanchal, based on the War of Liberation, was staged at
the Central shaheed
minar in 1978. This play
had a significant role in popularising street plays in Bangladesh.
The play has been staged more than a hundred times both within and
outside Dhaka.
Manasar Pala,
another play based on a folk-tale written and directed by
Kazi Rafiq was staged at the mahila samiti
auditorium in 1980. In 1982
Padatik staged Ballabhpurer Rupkatha, written by Badal
Sarkar and directed by Kamruzzaman Runu. Ma, the translation
of a play written by Bertolt Brecht and based on Maxim Gorky's
Mother, was staged at the Mahila Samiti Auditorium in 1984.
Shahina Akhter Kazal's performance, in the role of the mother, the
two-storied set design of Jamil Ahmed, the lighting of Kamruzzaman
Runu and direction of Kamaluddin Nilu were highly appreciated.
Padatik has staged a number of popular street plays. Among them are
Ajker Sangbad, directed by Kamaluddin, Raja Canute,
directed by Amal Roy, Chikitsa Bibhrat,
directed by Parshuram, and Chandravati directed by
Kamruzzaman.
The activities of Padatik
Natya Samsad have spread outside Dhaka. Padatik Natya Samsad,
Narayanganj Branch, was formed in Narayanganj in February 1980.
This branch has performed a number of street plays as well as
staged regular productions, among them, Mosaddek Ahmed's Tufan
Aitiyachhe - Sabdhan and Maharajar
Abasthan, Abdulla Al-Mamun's Araksita Matijhil, Kazi
Zakir Hasan's Rajay Rajay, Akram Hosain's Shes Drshyer
Pare, etc.
Apart from various stage
shows and street-play festivals held in different districts
including Dhaka and Chittagong, Padatik has taken part in different
workshops and discussions on drama. Padatik also plays an active
role in the activities of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation.
[Zillur Rahman John]
Rangarup Natya Academy an institute for
training in dramatics, was established in 1975 in Dhaka and
temporarily housed at Central Road. Noted actor Obaydul Huq Sarkar
was its principal and actor Ansar was a director. Classes were held
at the bangladesh
shilpakala academy.
Initially, there were 297 students. Teachers included Obaydul Huq
Sarkar, Aziz Misir and Anwar Hossain. Lessons on dramatic theory
and history were accompanied by practical sessions on acting. The
academy produced a course-based play Vidyalankar Press. The
Academy was patronised by the then president Bangabandhu sheikh mujibur
rahman and it ceased to
exist after his death (15 August 1975). [Anupam Hayat]
Sandhani Natyachakra a drama group, set up in
Sylhet town on 4 April 1981 to encourage the dramatic activities of
children. Since 1985 they have been regularly taking part in the
Sylhet Drama Festival organised by the Drama Council. They have
also participated in the Bandhan Programme of Bangladesh Television
in 1987, in the National Drama Festival '98 organised by Shilpakala
Academy and the drama festival organised by the Bangladesh Group
Theatre Federation on 3 April 1998. They have been participating in
the inter-district drama competitions and festivals organised by
the Natyayan of Sylhet since 1989. The plays staged by the group
include Dui Bhai, Baudir Biye, Hing Ting
Chhat, Dolaner Sanglap, Mamlar Phal, Unmad
Saksatkar, Shaytaner Blood Pressure, Ali Baba
Challish Chor, Shaurya Tomar Charan Tale, Boba
Minar, Kysapa Paglar Pyanchal, Bagh Sabdhan Shiyal
Aschhe, Garur Gadir Head Light, Alhaz General,
Amader Santanera, etc. The group believes that the theatre
should reflect the struggle of the people and help to improve their
lives. Besides drama festivals, they also organise drama workshops
and fairs during Baisakh.
Shabdabali Group Theatre was established on 3 September 1978 in Barisal
contribute to a healthy and progressive drama. The group believes
in the ideals of the Liberation Movement and opposes religious
superstition, communalism and dictatorship through its productions.
Tini Muktidata (He is the Savior) is an example of its
commitment to progress. Despite their limited resources, Shabdabali
has made their own stage and have included a new dimension in drama
in Barisal. Shabdabali is the first theatre group to have
introduced the payment of honorariums for drama workers.
Shabdabali set up the
first and only studio theatre in 1991. It has organised five
workshops to stress the need of formal education. The group has
produced 482 shows of its 31 plays.
Shabdabali has also staged
its plays on the Mahila Samiti stage and Shilpakala Academy in
Dhaka. It has also performed on Bangladesh Television
(Darpahari, 14 November 1997) and Radio Bangladesh (Payer
Awaj Pawa Jay, 1981). Shabdabali has also arranged other
programmes to uphold the image and heritage of Bengal. The group
has arranged a Baisakhi Mela at the feet of Shaheed Minar in
Barisal to observe Bangla year 1400. Lathi Khela (Stick
play) and folk songs such as jari, sari, and kavigan were
presented in the Mela.
Shikha Sangsad was
established on 23 March 1966 in Rangpur to develop the drama
culture in the Rangpur area. Shikha Sangsad participated in the
solo-drama competition in Mednapur in India immediate after the
Liberation of Bangladesh. Later, they participated in another
solo-drama competition in Calcutta in India. Shikha Sangsad has
been arranging Inter-district drama competitions at Rangpur since
1978. The group has became known for its production Nepen
Darogar Daybhar staged in the drama festival arranged by Cooch
Bihar Town Development Association in 1997. They also staged
Chheda Tar in Indo-Bangla union at Balurghat in the same
year. Shikha Sangsad staged Bikram O Adalat, a play based on
a story by Kishan Chandar at the Mahila Samiti stage in the
National Drama Festival in 1998.
Surma Theatre was established on 22
October 1983 in Sylhet to uphold our folk heritage and the music,
culture, heritage and life-style of the people of Surma Valley.
Surma Theatre has produced 19 plays of which 18 were composed by
one of their memebers, Bidyut Kar. Notable productions of the group
include: Surma Kande (Surma is crying), Ei Chhilo
Kapale (This was the fate), Itihas Bartaman (History
that exists), Kalidasa, Golam Hossain Jabab Dao
(Respond Golam Hossain), Biksubdha Banglay Hossain (Hossain
in turbulent Bengal), Mani Kanchaner Ghat (Wharf of
Mani-Kanchan), Gram Nagarer Bhide (In the throng of villages
and towns), Sukher Khonje Sukhlal (Sukhlal in search of
Happiness), Durjan Dur Ha (Get lost villain), Atit
Bartaman Dinkal (Past and Present), Dam Diye Kinechhi
Bangla (Bangla was bought at a great price), Gaduli
Chhada (The Gaduli rhymes), Bhango Barricade Bhango
(Break break barricades), Ranger Bibi Rangila, and
Barricade Charidike (Barricades everywhere).
Other notable productions
of this group are: Surma Kande (telecast live in Bangladesh
Television on 19 April 1985), Mani-Kanchaner Ghat, presented
in the BTV programme Nibedan in 1986, Bhango Barricade
Bhango presented in the First Open Air Drama Week arranged by
Mahakal Natya Sampraday, Dam Diye Kinechhi Bangla in the
Third Open Air Drama in 1990 at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka and
Sukher Khonje Sukhlal (a play based on the life of tea
workers) at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the weeklong National
Drama Festival in 1990. In addition, the Surma Theatre participated
in the drama festivals arranged to uphold the teachings of
Sanmilito Natya Parishad and Ekushey. The activities of this group
has spread beyond Sylhet.
Tarun Sampraday a drama organisation of
Sirajganj. It was founded on 19 July 1978, to make the theatre a
people's art. Its artists, technicians and performers are basically
workers for the theatre and belong to different sections of
society. The group, however, believes in representing the interests
of the working class. It has produced both stage dramas and street
dramas. The stage plays it has produced include Bine Paysar
Bhoj, written by Rabindranath Tagore and directed by AKM
Azad; Postmaster, dramatised by Ashgar Hossain;
Chor Chor, written by Zia Ansari and directed by Ashgar
Hossain; Ora Kadam Ali, written by Mamunur Rashid and
directed by Nazmul Huq; Ekhan Duhsamay, Iblish and
Pathar, written by Abdullah Al-Mamun; Prastuti Ebar Din
Badaler by Nilkantha Sen; Sat Puruser Rn by Abdullahhel
Mahmud; Ingit by SM Solaiman; Ekattarer Ksudiram and
Khela Khela by Mannan Hira; Kol Badaler Khela by
Saiful Islam; Abaruddha Itihas, written by Rabindra
Bhattacharya and directed by Tofa Hossain and Basan, written
by Selim Al-Din. The street plays it has performed are Mara,
Adab and Ksyapa Paglar Pyanchal directed by
AKM Azad and Abdul Momin Babu. This group believes that drama is
for every one and, accordingly, they organised a 10-day workshop
with workers in Khokshabari Union of Sirajganj. They also organised
similar plays with participants from ten villages each at Kahalu in
Bogra, Ishwardi in Pabna and Paba in Rajshahi. [Zillur Rahman
John]
Theatre (Arambagh) drama group.
The group called Theatre was originally established on 7 February
1972. In 1982 a group of its workers separated from Theatre and
organised Theatre (Arambagh). Keramat Mowla, Momtazuddin Ahmed,
Naresh Bhuiyan and Rezaul Ekram are leading members of this
group.
Theatre (Arambagh) staged
its first play, mir mosharraf
hossain's Zamindar
Darpan, on 21 May 1983. Subsequent productions include
Ksatabiksata (1984), Nildarpan (jointly with Dhaka
Padatik, 1985), Mahapurus (1986), Satghater Kanakadi
(1989), Gantabya Bahudur (1991), Raksusi (1991),
King Lear (1993), Shes Raksa (1994), Rupbhan
(1996), Khamakha Khamakha (1998), etc. It has also staged a
number of plays abroad such as Zamindar Darpan in Delhi,
Calcutta and Jaipur (1986); Satghater Kanakadi and
Raksusi in Calcutta (1992); Rupbhan in Calcutta and
Khamakha Khamakha and Rupbhan in Shiliguri (1997);
Khamakha Khamakha in Agartala (1998). Satghater
Kanakadi by Momtazuddin Ahmed has been its most successful play
so far and has been staged over two hundred times. On the occasion
of its thousandth show, the group observed a week-long festival in
February 1999, in which two drama groups from Calcutta and one from
Shiliguri took part. Besides stage shows, the group also arranges
workshops on drama and gives receptions to honour cultural
workers.
Theatre (Baily Road) was
established on 7 February 1972 in Dhaka by Kabir Chowdhury
(President), Ramendu Majumder (general secretary), Abdullah
Al-Mamun, Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury and Ferdoushi Majumder. Mahammad
Zakaria, Keramat Mawla, Mamtaz Uddin, etc, joined the group later.
The declared aim of this group is to produce realistic plays and
publish periodicals regularly.
The first play produced by
this group was Kabar by Munier Chowdhury, which they staged
on 21 February 1972 at bangla
academy. Ramendu Majumder
directed the play. The quarterly magazine Theatre was
published as a mouthpiece of the organisation in November that
year. The group staged Subachan Nirbasane (Good bye
eloquence) written and directed by Abdullah Al-Mamun. This highly
praised play details the erosion of social norms and values during
the early post liberation days.
Another play written by
Abdullah Al-Mamun Ekhan Duhsamay (Bad times are here) too
was well-received. In the fate of flood victims and rapacity of
black marketers are depicted vividly. The most successful
production of the group is the epic, Payer Awaj Pawa Jay (We
can hear the footsteps) by Syed Shamsul Haq. This War of Liberation
based play was first staged on 25 November 1976 at the Mahila
Samiti stage. Abdullah Al-Mamun directed it. It was staged in Seoul
on March 1981 in the Wold Drama festival. The Bangla translation of
Shakespere's Othello by Munier Chowdhury and Kabir Chowdhury
was staged on September 9 in the same year in the Mahila Samiti
stage.
Theatre Natyagosthi broke
into two in 1982. The main branch retained its name while the other
group was named Theatre (Arambagh). Theatre (Bailey Road) was
further divided into two later and the newest group was called
Theatre (Topkhana).
Theatre (Bailey Road) has
staged a number of successful plays of which the most remarkable
are: Macbeth (1983), Kritadas (The Slave) (1983),
Ghare Baire (1985), Theaterer Pala Badal (1985),
Kursi (Chair, 1988), Bisalaksar Chhuri (Knife of
Bisalaksa, 1989), Dyasher Manus (People from the country,
1991), Antigone (1992), Krishnakanter Will (1994),
Meraj Fakirer Ma (Mother of Meraj Fakir, 1995),
Chithi (Letter, 1995), Svapna Giri (Dream Hill,
1998), etc. In addition to staging play, Theatre (Bailey Road)
started awarding the Munier Chowdhury Veneration medal in 1989,
established the Theatre School in 1990, the Mohammad Zakaria
commemoratve medal in 1997, and many seminars, workshops and
festivals on drama. They have also published books and souvenirs on
different occasions.
Theatre (Topkhana) The pioneers
of this group are Khairul Alam Sabuj, Mijanur Rahman Suruj, Rekha
Ahmaed, Asif Munir, Sahnaz Lina, etc. The productions staged by
this group are: Totaram, Punarlikhan. [Anupam
Hayat]
Theatre '73
