Chittagong Theatre Festival gets rolling

Eminent social scientist Dr Anupam Sen inaugurated the festival, organised by Ritu Bhittik Natya Mela Parishad, at the Laboratory Theatre Mancha of Theatre Institute of Chittagong (TIC).

The festival includes staging of six plays, comprising two world classics, a council meeting of theatre activists and a discussion meeting on different topics.

Five theatre troupes of Chittagong, Tirjak Natya Dal, Nandikar, Kathak Natya Sampradaya, Uccharan Natya Sampradaya, Mancha Mukut Natya Smapradaya and Dhaka-based Dhaka Theatre will stage the plays.

Kathak Natya Sampradaya staged Rabindranath Tagore's Shasti on the opening day. Ahmed Iqbal Haider directed the play.

Manchamukut and Nandikar will stage two world classics, Sophocles' Antigone and Leo Tolstoy's Fruits of Culture while Tirjak and Uccharan will stage Michael Madhusudon's Buro Shaliker Ghare Ro and Tagore's Achalayotan. Besides Dhaka Theatre will stage Binodini.

Director of TIC and coordinator of the festival Ahmed Iqbal Haider said they had been arranging theatre festivals for over 12 years in order to usher in each season. "This time we are welcoming the season Sharot (autumn)," he added.

The organisers asserted that they would arrange a council of theatre activists of Chittagong to discuss ways of promoting theatre activities in the port city.