Centre for Asian Theatre to represent Bangladesh
The festival opens with the staging of Sonai Bibir Pala, the latest production of Centre for Asian Theatre (CAT) based on Bangladeshi indigenous performing arts. Kamaluddin Nilu, General Secretary of CAT, explains, "Usually we talk about the European drama trend, but our theatre has a rich tradition as well. Through the festival we will work together to develop an 'Asian Theatre Form'. That is why each participating country will stage its own indigenous performing art form in the festival.
"While directing, I have blended our traditional narrative techniques with jatra, pala, gheku and letu forms. Sultana Haider, an expert on folk dance, is the choreographer. We will stage the play twice in Taipei."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Sonai Bibir Pala is an adaptation from the Kumar Bir Narayan section of Purba Banga Geetika, a collection of folktales. Adapter Raihan Aktar Kajol says, "To give the play a more serious tone, I have depicted how religion becomes an obstacle in love. Sonai Bibi, a Muslim girl is in love with Kumar Bir Narayan, a Hindu man. Their love does not see a happy ending because of the social restrictions."
Besides staging the play, Kamaluddin Nilu will be the instructor of a six-day long workshop, where each of the participating directors, including representatives from Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong will demonstrate their works. More over, there will be a Bangladeshi pavilion where we intend to display the traditional costumes of the indigenous performing art forms like Jatra, Palagaan and others .
Will CAT participate in other foreign drama festivals? Nilu says, "In October we will stage our production of The Lesson in the Japanese international drama festival. Moreover, I will also direct another play jointly with Japanese director Hiroshi Ohashi, in which 20 performers from different Asian countries will act. The title of the experimental play is Unbearable Three. It is based on the issue of neo-colonialism. KC Lock is the coordinator of the project. And in July 2006, CAT will stage Metamorphosis in Hamburg, Germany."