MARSHUMER EKDIN (trans. A Day in the Season) of Newtown Bratyajan: a tribute to Samaresh Basu

 

MARSHUMER EKDIN (trans. A Day in the Season) of Newtown Bratyajan: a tribute to Samaresh Basu

 

The centenary of Samaresh Basu passed off not with much fanfare but for a few literary programmes. The theatre world was not active either. I find two groups, both of the lesser type, have staged two plays based on his stories, on this occasion. They are Newtown Bratyajon with their MARSHUMER EKDIN, and Naihati’s Rangasena with their SHESH BASANTA. Credit should be given to them for having treaded a not too familiar path.

Newtown Bratyajon presented Sumitro Bandopadhyay’s adaptation of a short story by Samaresh Basu, MARSHUMER EKDIN under the direction of Debashis Roy at Madhusudan Mancha. I have seen their previous work and have an impression that with many a shortcoming this group strives to present their fare with sincerity.

Samaresh wrote this short story in 1951. Like his other works this story, too, is a portrayal of that section of the society who live their struggling life day-in and day-out. It is of course needless to say that this work too reflects his own experiences in his living-out his own life. after all these seventy-five years it is also futile to say that the picture he drew still remains true. Perhaps the backdrop has changed, the contexts have changed but the content and theme remain the same. The Bengali society, its culture, its intellectual horizon like the corner stone of his other writings, are present here too, with their glories.

A quite handsome young Nabin works in a theatre-jatra dress and requisition supplier’s shop. During the jatra season he stays back in the store-room of the shop with his other co-workers. As the income from his job in the shop is not much to maintain his family of three kids and his wife, he takes up a part-time job as a tabla-player, and also does a few stints as an actor for parties who come looking for a performer. He fails to provide his family with quality time as well as with sufficient cash, despite his utmost endeavours.  

The third wedded wife of the owner Bhanumoti, has a soft corner for Nabin, and is always concerned about the kids of Nabin, as she herself is childless. She buys new dresses for the kids and gives them to Nabin on the night of shasti of Duga puja. In the early morning the next day he returns to the shop to find everyone including the owner and his wife waiting for the police to come. One of his co-workers has hung himself in the store-room after being rejected by his lover.  

Sumitro has done a commendable job in adapting Samaresh keeping true to the unique flavour of the story-teller, though he had to edit, add and modify a few areas to bring the story with its nuances on to the stage. But this has not overshadowed the magical play of words of the litterateur. In presenting the characters in the mould of the story-teller he has kept the texture of the original in writing the dialogues, too. His addition of parts of old classical plays was a pleasant experience for the viewers. So was the short tabla piece by Nabin.    

Debashis has used a few of the recent practices in play-making, like the use of the LED lights, the use of smoke, or some choreographic representations in the soliloquy of Aurangzeb where the later talks of the ghosts of his brothers Dara and Suja. But unlike the recent trends he has not taken refuge to gimmicks in constructing his scenes. The play gets a smooth progression, thus. In the first scene the store with the adjacent shop is shown, but from the next scene onwards the perspective is changed. The suicide is shown in a suggestive way though a little more imagination was wanting. But the scene that had damaged the total production was that of the prostitute quarter mainly due to very poor performance. On the other hand, the short scene of the conjugal relation of Nabin and his wife was a treat for the viewers.       

Subhankar De’s lights and Swapan Bandopadhyay’s background score were laudable. Surajit Pal’s make-up job was equally creditable. Dress designing also needs to be appreciated.

Sunny Chattopadyay’s Nabin is the main-stay of the production. I have not seen any earlier work of this young actor, and for me his Nabin is a revelation. He is such an accomplished performer that one is marvelled at his range of performance. His easy movements, unhesitating dialogue deliveries with accurate intonations need to be applauded. When he is performing in the classic plays, he is more dramatic yet not crossing over to over doing the parts. His tabla playing certainly adds a creditable point for the production. The description of the appearance of the character Nabin as described by the author is so very similar to that of Sunny, that one may tend to think that Samaresh had built Nabin in the image of Sunny perhaps!  Chanchal Bhattacharya as Guinram, or Subir Ghosh as the shop owner, or Bijoya Karmakar as Nabin’s wife did their jobs well. Others were Susmita Bhattacharya, Malay Pal, Sourabh De, Riju Basu and Sahana Chattopadhyay.

 

The next play for our discussion will be EKTA ISHKOOL (trans. A School) of Chakdaha Natyajan.