Aami Gadha Balchhi belongs to the Comedy of Manners trend. This genre focuses on the behaviour and deportment of men and women living under specific social codes. It tends to be preoccupied with the codes of the middle and upper classes and is often marked by elegance, wit and sophistication.

The first question that strikes the viewers is who the gadha (donkey) is in the play. Why isn't the play titled It is a man speaking?

Gadha in the play is the representative of innocent human beings who are educated and hard working but cannot prosper in life. Their way ahead is impeded by the dominating people of society who have achieved that leading position through unscrupulous means.

However, at the end of the play the dramatist is hopeful of a change: in the epilogue of Aami Gadha Bolchhi he says that 'Man's fortune is not the blessing of "Aladdin's lamp", it is rather the blessings of his industry.'

Director Mojibur Rahman Dilu is influenced by the European Theatre trend.

To introduce new scenes he has used placards indicating the topic of the next sequence.

Mojibur Rahman Dilu as the set designer has followed the 'Empty Space Concept' introduced by French critic Corneille. He has simply used a replica of a donkey at the back stage while the entire set remained totally empty.

As the light designer, Dilu has used only general light and a few symbolic colour effects.

Mojibur Rahman Dilu in the role of Gadha, the major character, could not maintain the same standard throughout the play. Sometimes his bold appearance was enjoyable, but time to time he fumbled with his dialogue. Moreover, he had a dialect problem.

Ataur Rahman: Kudos to the Dhaka Drama Festival
Ataur Rahman is the former President and the current honorary member of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF). He visualises a bright future for theatre in the country after a successful end of the ongoing festival.

To quote him, 'Dhaka Drama Festival 2004 is an encouragement for every theatre lover. After the festival, I think, the government will hand over all the theatrical stages of the country to the groups.

'In the festival, my group Nagorik Natyasampradaya will stage Kalshondhya. I consider Kalshondhya as an ideal play for any festival. The adapted play from the Mahabharata is a colourful drama. That is why we have decided to stage it in the festival. We will stage our other productions at the Mahila Shamity Stage. On July 8, we will celebrate the 50th show of Raktakarabi.'

Ershad Kamol

Schedules (June 28-July 02)
June 28
Play: Tahader Kotha
Playwright: Rezanur Rahman
Director: Farhad Zaman Palash
Group: Dhaka Sarak

June 29
Play: Good Bye Dhaka
Playwright & Director: Nazrul Islam Khan
Group: Bahubachan

June 30
Play: Bou Basanti
Playwright: Ratan Siddiqui
Director: Azad Abul Kalam
Group: Udichi

July 01
Play: Kanjush (Moliere)
Adapted by Tariq Anam Khan
Director: Liakat Ali Lucky
Group: Loko Natya Dal

July 02
Play: Shat Ghater Kanakari
Playwright & Director: Momtazuddin Ahmed
Group: Theatre (Arambagh)

July 03
Play: Court Marshal
Playwright and Director: SM Solaiman
Group: Theatre Art Natyadal

July 04
Play: Babar Biye
Playwright: Munir Hossain
Director: Mahbubur Rahman
Group: Padadhwani Theatre

July 05
Play: Buddhu
Playwright: Abdul Halim Aziz
Director: Jahangir Kabir Bakul
Group: Drishtipat Natyadal

Venue: Experimental Theatre Stage at Shilpakala Academy; Time: 7 pm
Tickets are available at Sagar Publishers, Baily Road and at the venue before shows.
Prices: Tk. 30, Tk. 50 and Tk. 100.
Schedules, provided by BGTF, are subject to change without any prior notice.