A comedy by Selim Al Deen titled “Eti Potromita” is set to be staged by Dhaka Theatre. After “Muntasir Fantasy” in 1975, the troupe will stage an Al Deen’s play after four decades.
The play was originally a television drama but the young and dynamic theatre director Rubayet Ahmed adapted it for the stage.
The story revolves around two friends Lomba Rinku and Baitta Rinku who share the same apartment and love to make penfreinds. The comedy of errors starts when a girl named Pinku arrives at their place. Pinku mistakes Baitta Rinku as Lomba Rinku with whom she has been exchanging letters for a long time and developed a romantic bond. The story moves on with a series of hilarious incidents.
Rubayet Ahmed said to the Dhaka Tribune: “I’ve changed some dialogues to narrative and added a few songs to the play to give it a traditional form of ‘shongjatra’ or ‘shongpala’ and also blended Italian traditional comedy. We produced a few serious plays by Selim Al Deen. Therefore, it is challenging for us to adapt his comedy for the first time.”
He added: “Selim Al Deen is an icon. So, whenever someone directs or adapts a work of Deen, it has to be immaculate or else the critics do not spare them.”
The troupe plans to hold a technical show on the first week of the coming month, however the date of the premier is yet to be determined. Rafiqul Islam, Sumon Ibrahim, Hasnat Mithun, Joyosri Majumder Lota and Fahmida Kamal Ripa will be seen in the play.
