A thirteen-day theatre festival by Mohakal Natya Sampradaya has begun on Wednesday at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
The theatre troupe celebrates its 30 years in theatre through the festival which is a part of Mohakal’s yearlong programme marking the event.
Eminent theatre activist Ramendu Majumder inaugurated the festival as chief guest. Theatre personalities Mamunur Rashid, Sara Zaker, Nasiruddin Yousuff, M Hamid, and director general of BSA Liaquat Ali Lucky spoke at the event as special guests. The opening speech was delivered by Mohammad Shahnewaz, a member of the festival committee. Afzal Hossain was the convener of the inaugural ceremony. The opening session was a rendezvous of theatre activists from all across the country.
Thirty theatre troupes including Mohakaal Natya Sampradaya from Bangladesh and six theatre troupes from India will stage a staggering number of 40 plays in the festival. Dhaka Theatre, Aranyak, Nagarik Natya Sampraday, Desh Natok, Loko Natyadal and a number of other local troupes are participating in the festival. The theatre productions will be staged at 7pm everyday at four different venues — National Theatre Hall, Experimental Theatre Hall, Studio Theatre Hall of Shilpakala Academy and the auditorium of Chhayanaut.
The festival is divided into three sections—the first four days feature foreign plays, second four days feature plays of Rabindranath Tagore and the remaining last five days feature local productions.
Mohakal will premiere its latest production Prometheus on September 27 at Chhayanaut auditorium.
Prachyanat, a leading theatre troupe of the country, will stage its 27th production “Bon Manush” at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Thursday. The play is a translated version of American playwright Eugene O’ Neill’s “The Hairy Ape” and is directed by Baqar Bokul.
Bunon Theatre will stage “Chaka” at the Experimental Theatre Hall of BSA and Nandikar, a theatre troupe from Chittagong, will stage Paap Punya at the auditorium of Chhayanaut.
