Popular theatre troupe Prachyanat’s play Circus Circus will be staged today 6:30pm at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The production is the first full-length play by the group and was quickly recognised as one of the major productions of Prachyanat.
Directed by Azad Abul Kalam, the play illustrates the cultural oppression in the name of religion in post-Liberation War Bangladesh. The story is about a circus troupe, The Great Bengal Circus, that was widely famed under its founder owner Laksman Das. After his death, the company was managed by his brother who rebuilds the business, that was ravaged during the liberation war in 1971. In the course of events, the company arrives at a village to put up a show. It is plagued by a number of problems-unskilled performers, strained relationship and rivalry among the members and more. To make things worse, members of a fundamentalist religious group threatens to stop the show.
The hostility grows not only outside, but also from within. In such a precarious moment the fundamentalists unleashes a reign of anger and hatred. The Great Bengal Circus is totally gutted in the fire along with three players and all its animals.