Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 605 Thu. February 09, 2006  
   
Culture


Week-long street theatre festival ends


A week-long street theatre festival, titled Jege Otho Manush Prohore Prohore Hatao Onthokar, showcased 40 street plays from different corners of the country. The function ended on February 7 at Shaheed Minar Premises. Theatre troupes and members of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF), participated in the festival arranged by BGTF in association with Bengal Foundation.

Leaders of BGTF such as Keramat Moula, Liaquat Ali Lucky, Saiful Islam Mahmud and Aktaruzzaman delivered speeches in the closing ceremony.

Speakers extolled the key role of street plays in national movements. Explaining the popularity of this explicit performing art form, the speakers said that street plays can easily convey important message to the masses. Theatre activists expressed the hope that this medium would help generate public awareness on social and political issues.

Seven street plays were staged at the concluding day. Sarothi Academy, Rangpur, staged Velkibaji by Sirajul Islam Siraj. Directed by Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, the street play lampooned the current political turmoil in Bangladesh. Mymensingh Loko Krishti Sangstha staged NM Nurul Amin Akand's play Deergha Raat Atopor, directed by Babul Rehman. Deergha Raat Atopor delivered the message that unless the country is freed of corrupt leaders, it will face an uncertain future.

Other plays staged on the concluding day were Shironamheen by Ankur Natya Academy (Jhinaidah), Purbabhash by Naborupee (Dinajpur), Bornamalar Podaboli by Nowapara Natyagoshthi (Jessore), Noromedh by Shubachan Natya Goshthi and Chor Choritra by Bangla Natyam (from Narshingdi).

Picture
Actors of Sarothi Academy in scenes from Velkibaji (Top and Bottom). PHOTO: STAR