SOME BRILLIANT PRODUCTIONS AND.....

SOME BRILLIANT PRODUCTIONS AND.....

The last blog I wrote was way back in April this year on four distinguishing productions of four different types on the Bengali stage (see my blog Binodini, Kadambari.....and Usha.......). Two of them were on Binodini Dasi, the great doyen of the Bengali stage, one was on Kadambari Devi and the remaining one was an autobiographic play by Usha Ganguli.  There was no new blog from me since then so at the very beginning I beg to be excused. There has been a load of productions on the Bengali stage in these six months as well as in the earlier months that goes back to a few of 2013 as well, the productions of which I had not discussed about. The productions ranged from some brilliant to mediocre ones apart from a few trash ones, but most of them need a detailed discussion. As it would not be wise to include all these productions in a couple of blogs, I would rather mention the more significant ones and discuss briefly about them as I believe that they have definitely made their marks in the Bengali theatre scenario.

 Last year Nirbak Obhinay Academy under the direction of Anjan Deb presented a workshop based production, DHUSAR GODHULI, constructed on a poem by Sankha Ghosh and a script by Suranjana Dasgupta, using mime, dance forms with support from readings and songs of Lalan. The compositions and coordination amongst the performers were so well programmed that each of them took the form of framed paintings. Another production of last year worth discussing about was Nirnay’s RAS a play by Subhankar Das Sharma from the short story of the same name by Narendranath Mitra. The director Sangeeta Paul has proved her acumen beyond doubt and has been bold enough to present a very passionate kissing sequence which was very much consistent with the tone of the scene. Manoj Mitra’s CHHOTO CHHOTO BARI was presented by Anya Theatre also last year under the direction of Bibhas Chakraborty. The senior-most dramatist of our stage who has explored new vistas in Bengali playwriting has dealt with a very urban problem where the noxious bonding of business and politics murders the dreams of the working middle class. The sparkling dialogues of Manoj had been beautifully put forth through the actors by Bibhas to create a number of brilliant dramatic moments.

 Kalindi Bratyajan’s 2014 production, KAY?, is a Bratya Basu play of a different nature. Here he presents a detective play where comedy takes the front seat and viewers are treated with an in-depth analysis of the interrelationship between human beings and their psychoanalytical demeanours. His use of lights and the background music in his compositions is sheer brilliance and sometimes give surrealistic touches to the different scenes. There were other productions as well that have very aptly dealt with the subject of interrelationship between human beings. One of them is yet another Bratya Basu play, AAPATATO EI BHABE DUJANER DEKHA HOYE THAKE, staged brilliantly by Debesh Chattopadhyay for Lake Town Sansriti. Two characters separately speak out the stories of their own lives and the viewers find the age-old questions of man-woman relationships once again vibrantly facing them. The design of the play is a new genre that certainly is a matter of pride for the Bengali stage. Another of this type of play has socio-political trappings. Inspired by playwright Vaclav Havel, the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first of the Czech Republic, and also the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize, Chandan Sen has written SPARDHABARNO in the light of one of Havel’s Vanec plays, ‘Protest’ not only as a firm protest against Fascism together with a strong support for Democracy, but also a self-analysis of those who have lost their own bearings to stand up and steer the system for the need of history. Dwijen Banerjee and his group Sanstab have done a commendable job. The other such production was by Ekush Shatak. KHELNA BHANGAR SHABDO written by Subhas Sengupta and directed very efficiently by Adhir Bose deals with a problem that is not rare in our society but is rather not discussed aloud. Negligence of the parents towards their children is not only a problem in the affluent society but also eats into the not so well-off families. Another striking production on the this theme of bonding between people in spite of hurdles has been aptly projected by Subhas Sengupta in his play, JANMASTHAMI STAGED BY Behala Anukar.

There were a few very grandiose productions that had their presence felt on the Bengali stage in the first half of 2014. Two of them dealt on the lives of two historical characters but their objectives lay in mirroring the present political settings of our country. Rangapat under the baton of Tapanjyoti had a very scintillating presentation of Amit Maitra’s DHARMASHOK. Based on the life of Ashoka and his transformation from the tyrannous Chandashok to a Buddhist Dharmashok, the play tries to draw parallels to the present scenario and this simplification of interpreting history in the present context mars the presentation. Such has been the case, too, of Swapnasandhani’s KARKATKRANTIR DESH, a play by the poet Sreejato and directed by Kaushik Sen. In the process of narrating the life of the elder son of Shahjahan, Darashuko it tries a bit blatantly to focus on the political scenario just ahead of the recent Lok Sabha polls, instead of concentrating on the tragedy of the protagonist which itself could have brought the message home.  In sharp contrast to these productions which tend to politicise historical facts, Jojak’s DADATHAKUR written by Ujjwal Chattopadhyay on the life of the great satirist Sharat Chandra Pandit who was universally called Dadathakur strictly adheres to the great man’s life story. Directed by Dulal Lahiri it gives the viewers ample scope to find out for themselves how much relevance the man’s deeds and writings and songs have to the present day happenings. The other very flamboyant and pompous production was by Paikpara Indraranga. They produced Ujjwal Chattopadhyay’s ARABYA RAJANI, which though overtly talked about the oppression of the mighty over the meek; it essentially sings a love song. The dramatist has used the story-telling literary device of the Arabian Nights to give his play a magnetic attraction for his viewers. Ujjwal’s debut in direction, too, has shown enough promise of his directorial wisdom.  

Another very important happening on the Bengali stage need mentioning separately for its form as well as its content. BIYE-GAUNI KANDAN CHAPA is a play written by Chandan Sen on the Muslim marriage singers form Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia districts of West Bengal on whom a book has been written in four volumes by Ratna Rashid. Ashok Mukhopadhyay has given a new dramatic language to the play by amalgamating the folk form with the proscenium structure. It is certain to get its share of applause and appreciation from the viewers and also find a place of grace in the history of Bengali theatre for innovative handling of the form. Dialogues with particular dialects have been used so fittingly that the moments get the fitting ambience. Songs, naturally, play a significant role in this production and the twelve songs that have been presented so excellently seemed to become characters of the play itself.

A few more productions needs mention though I strongly believe all of them should get a far more space in my blog. However, I am trying to do justice by mentioning them in brief. Yet another play has been produced by Gobordanga Naksha under Ashis Das’s direction on Binodini Dasi named BINODINI, A WOMAN A HUMAN written by Mainak Sengupta more in a dissertation mode. A very well produced play no doubt. Shilpi Sangha has produced Chanchal Bhattacharya’s BOMBAGARER RAJA based on six writings of Sukumar Roy, a rare feat, indeed. Seema Mukhopadhyay’s direction has given the play a superb touch which the viewers had enjoyed to their hearts out. Swati Roy’s THOR BORI KHARA of Oihik and directed by Arindam Roy is a collage of life’s happenings that may go unnoticed sometimes or may have some bearings on our lives. Ichhapore Aleya’s AAPON GHARE PARER AAMI, written by Mainak Sengupta and directed by Sangita Choudhury seemed to be a thoroughly professional job done with élan and demands kudos for their efforts. Acting is their forte, no doubt. Equally commendable was Anya Theatre’s NIJER KHOJE, a play adapted from Jean Anouilh’s ‘Traveller without Luggage’ by Subrata Nandi and directed by Sanat Chanda. Bengali theatre goers are familiar with Anouilh’s name courtesy ‘Antigone’. However, Nandi has kept true to the original though has aptly given it a Bengali appearance. The stage designed by Bibhas Chakraborty is a lesson for the theatre students on how stage-setting can be pertinently enhance the drama. Heritage and its devastation by land-sharks has been the theme for Shouvanik’s VIRUS-e BHOOT and Kolkata Playmakers’ AMAR SRMITI CHALLENGE CUP. Interestingly both the plays have ghosts playing pivotal roles in tiding over the situations. The former has been written by Debkumar Ghosh and directed by Chandan Das and is a comedy that the viewers enjoy for its pun-added dialogues. The later one is written by Sumitro Bandopadhyay and directed by Ram Mukhopadhyay is also a very well orchestrated production.  Naihati Somay 1400 under the direction of Arpita Ghosh presented KHARIR TEER written by Alok Biswas. It is an important production well performed. It hints on the story of a very black spot in the cultural history of our state as well as of a very unhealthy political situation that prevailed in the 80s.