Prachyanat’s latest production “Tragedy Palashbari” artistically depicted the trauma of the victims of Spectrum Garment’s workers. Displaying exemplary use of modern stagecraft Hashnat Ripon and Neel Kamrul, the two behind-the-stage personnels talk to the Dhaka Tribune about the artistic techniques employed by them.
Hashnat Ripon, with the help of Shasanka and Reza, has designed the set for the play keeping a minimalistic approach in mind. The scenes have a surrealistic touch, with the directors using garments machineries and merchandise as props.
The director has aptly displayed how garments workers are subject to incomprehensible labour, as they operate their machineries using giant thread rolls in unision. The most striking segment of the set-design is the symbolically rich, collapsed roof which later comes down over the workers. As the play reveals, the caving roof serves as symbolic sign of the workers gradually succumbing to death. Not only is this a haunting sign of what is to happen – it’s also a frightening aspect of the stage that keeps the audience on edge.
In the lighting department, Ripon divides the whole play into two parts to do justice to his lighting techniques. He mostly used green and blue to depict the scenes prior to the collapse when the audience saw Taravan, the protagonist, recalling her vivid memories. As for the post-collapse acts, Hashnat uses yellow, red and orange as these colours connote damage.
Neel Kamrul has admitted that there was a minimum set of instruments used such as the flute and melodica. The production emphasises more on ambient sound which creates greater impact on the stage. For instance, to create rhythm, the sound of scissors and sewing machines have been used.