Lokonatya Dal staged its 26th production of a 55 minute-long drama “Shunagoriker Shondhane” on October 24 at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
This is the 5th staging of the latest production of the troupe, which saw a houseful of curious audiences. Shunagoriker Shondhane (in search of a good citizen) is basically a satire written by Moloy Bhowmic – a teacher of Rajshahi University.
The dramatist gives a message here illustrating the meaningless and irrational lifestyle of the society’s powerful citizens who often muscle in on the common citizen’s livelihood and live in luxury but shy away from cultural and knowledge-based practice, ironically thinking that their community fellows are the best.
They choose associates and followers thoughtfully so that their allies could never go against their notorious and selfish intentions.
These unproductive power bodies practice flattery for their boss and his deranged family members.
There are 11 actors and actresses including the head of the Town (NogorKorta), his arrogant wife (Nogorkortry), a minister who keeps himself busy flattering, a so-called adviser (Nogorpondit) having very negligible knowledge about what is happening around, and other unworthy team members.
The NogorKorta always indulges himself in passing unproductive time with recreation and keeps himself involved with different types of vulgar enjoyment.
He is scared of his dominating middle-aged wife who is always curious about his notorious husband and sets a spy on him but the head of town never misses the opportunity to engage in unworthy practice whenever possible.
The NogorKortry intended someday to celebrate her birthday and asked the NogorKorta to arrange a party.
The NogorKorta ridiculed her and told her that it would be remarkable if it were linked with the event of opening of the town’s Common Human Excavation Centre.
Hearing this, the NogorKortry becomes furious and proposes to initiate a programme to signify her birthday by searching for the best citizen of the town.
The Nogorkorta took the venture and employed his idiot team and adviser to do that.
The team does many things one after another and brings different citizens from different walks of life but none can comply with the funny interview of the Nogor Pondit in collaboration with the Nogorkorta.
The theater moves on and lastly the interviewee character is found to be a most deprived and striving weak person who is produced before the Nogorkorta and his arrogant wife.
They ask a series of irrelevant questions to him for the proof that he might be the best citizen.
Eventually, the people eat and then relay common citizens a core message, “Conscience provides strength to struggle to establish truth fighting against evil practices”.
The theater is directed by Khairul Alam Tipu while music is by Mujahidul Haque Lenin and dress and set design is by Kamrun Nur Chowdhury.
The director plans to do more work on redesigning the production in future.