Tirandaj Natyadal’s eighth production “Konthonalite Shurjo” represents the helpless condition of an individual who is victim of identity crisis, selfishness, materialism and many other issues against the backdrop of today’s society. The premiere on July 19 at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy saw a full house.
Written by Mohit Chatyapadhay and directed by Rajib Dey, the play’s protagonist is Agontuk, a stranger, who appears on the stage complaining about a strange disease: the sun has been struck inside his throat. The symbolic play gradually, and very successfully, convinced the audience - who were left shocked listening to him talk about his disease - that this is nothing but the set of obstacles of our society that turn a free spirit into a sick creature. Back to back humorous dialogues, which are, in fact, intended to be a spoof of the social structure, entertained the audience and conveyed an important message - a classic formula.
The stranger later goes to consult a doctor where he is introduced with the doctor’s daughter Nilu and her boyfriend Shoumik. Shoumik is a poet and he recites an array of poetry which undoubtedly enriches the entire play.
The masterminds of the play intelligently present the conflict of reality and fantasy through the dialogues and poems by Agontuk and Shoumik.
The story represents the frustration of an individual who wants to break all the conventions of time and space. Here, the barrier that the so-called social norms and values place on the ways in which we enjoy our freedom has been portrayed as big and burning like the sun.
The play gives the message that socio-cultural settings prompt us to make changes in our life styles in a bid to be modern, losing ourselves in the process.
People fight with themselves to establish their identifications. The struggle to adjust with modernism, religion and values has been brilliantly shown in the story through a combination of tragedy and comedy.