Alik Babu: Natyajan's latest production premiered

Actors in a scene from the play

The theatre group Natyajan premiered Alik Babu on January 27. In the play, Alik Prokash (M Mohsin) frequently tells lies to attract an upper crust lady, Hemangini (Sharmin Islam Munni), who gets her ideas of romance from novels. Like the European comedy technique, Proshanna (AJ Mira Khan), a widowed domestic help, plays a go between for Alik and Hemangini, so that Hemangini will help her marry Godadhar (Moinuddin Alam Kohinur).

Godadhar also tries his best to help the couple. When Alik's credentials evoke a doubt in the mind of Hemangini's father, Satya Sindhu (Faruk Mahmud Dipu), a disguised Godadhar bails out Alik. Moinuddin's frequent transformations of different characters was praiseworthy -- particularly in the scene when he appears as a Marathi person. Mira successfully emoted as a lower caste widow infatuated with Godadhar. Faruk Mahmud was also impressive as an honest gentleman. Moreover, Pantha Sarkar as a friend of Alik, successfully represented the lifestyle of the young people of the then Babu Samaj, who passed their time in amusements like music and drinking and others. However, Munni as a fashionable lady in search of love was not altogether convincing.

A particularly weak spot was the overacting of Mohsin as Alik, especially in the scenes when he is pushed in a corner. Moreover, at the end of the play, he came a cropper when his character refused to marry Hemangini.

Jotirindranath Thakur's comedy also deals with few important issues of that time like 'widow marriage' and others.

Director Bhashwar Bandopadhyay is heavily influenced by Shakespearean theatre. His scene making, using of soliloquies and emphasis on verbal acting are based on the western theatre form. However, there is no juxtaposition of directorial lines and set elements; as a result Uttam Guho's huge set reflecting the interior design of a fashionable house of the 19th century appeared as an ornament not a set.

Light designer Zahidur Rahman Tazim failed to recreate the mood and tempo of the play. The adjustment of the general light was inadequate.

Natyajan premiered Alik Babu on January 27 at the Experimental Theatre Stage. The function was inaugurated by Mahbub-e Alam, president of the Supreme Court Bar Associaton. Mamunur Rashid was the special guest of the evening.