When the most powerful and influential tragedy in English literature has been brought to the stage in a new way it was no surprise seeing how the seating arrangements for the Natmondol were full of audience. The Theatre and Performance Studies Department of Dhaka University staged a production of “Hamlet” at the Natmondol in Dhaka University premises on July 4 at 7:30pm.
With a story capable of seemingly endless numbers of retelling and adaptations, the play seems to have been one of Shakespeare’s most popular works during his lifetime, and still ranks among his most performed. The play is adapted from a translated copy by Shamsur Rahman; a poet, and a key figure in Bengali literature, while Ashik Rahman Liyon did the directing.
The play started with a mimic presentation in the backdrop of revulsion music, the inclusion of the adaptation part seems slightly irrelevant to the story which is going to be staged afterwards, but apparently produces milieu for the most influential tragedy by Shakespeare.
The arena stage created space for the spectacle of the classic drama through various standpoints; though the comparatively congested stage left few opportunities to leverage it accordingly.
Five dominant characters of the play: Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, and Horatio, are played by different actors in different acts, which establishes the potential of the actors as they never let down the audience from the standards of characters’ indications, seeing how their vigorous performances had the audience glued to their seats.
The story follows Hamlet returning to Denmark when his father, the King, dies. His mother Gertrude has already married Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, the new King. They urge Hamlet to marry his beloved Ophelia, but soon, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears and tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. Hamlet must choose between passive acquiescence and the need for vengeance, leading him to tragedy.
While Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play, adapting the entire play in less than 90 minutes is challenging, providing the audience with only the spectacle the substantial acts.
Naved Rahaman, Masud Rana, Jahid Hossain, Tanvir Nahid Khan, Sanjib Kumar Dey, Camelia Mousumi Khan, Sumaiya Binte Raihan, and Nowrin Sajjad, all final semester student of the department, portrayed the dominant characters of the play.
Earlier, AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice chancelor of Dhaka University, Mamunur Rashid, actor and theatre activist, and Kalvin L Heige, cultural officer of the US Embassy in Dhaka, graced the event and gave speeches on the occasion.
The staging will continue till July 7 at the same venue, while another two-day stagings will be held at the Experimental Theatre Hall of BSA on July 10 and 11.