Foreign plays in Bangla

A sequence from the play Galileo staged in 1988

So far, Selim has translated several famous plays of the world. These have been staged several times by different theatre groups such as Dhaka Padatik, Nagorik Natyangan and Little Theatre. These are: Venice Shaodagar--a translation of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Phera (The Visit of Duran Mart), Bigya Nathan (Nathan the Wise of Lessing), Himmati Ma and Golmatha Chokhamatha (Mother Courage and Her Children and Round Heads and Pick Heads of Bertolt Brecht), and Majhrater Manushera (Nocturnal Wanderer of Gao Xing Xian). Among the plays, Himmati Ma and Golmatha Chokhamatha were highly appreciated by the audience and critics.

Abdus Selim has also translated plays for the students of North South University Cine and Drama Club. As a professor at the university, he introduced drama as a subject in the university. The plays he has translated for the university are Mouse Trap of Agatha Christie and The Would Be Gentleman of Moliere.

Before Galileo, Selim had translated the biography of Pablo Neruda, a few poems of British poets Kingsley Amis and Ted Huges, Brecht and poems of the Bengali poets of the 1960s. However, he never thought about translating any plays for stage yet.

He says, 'I was involved with the film society movement since my student life. But, because of some differences in opinion, I left the society. Then I felt the urge to do something. Film director Mashihuddin Shaker gave me the play Galileo and told me to translate it. That was the starting point.'

In 1986, an American freelance theatre activist read Galileo. He proposed that the play be staged in Bangladesh with performers from different theatre groups. The activist met the performers but the play could not be staged because of technical problems. That proposal encouraged Selim to look at new translation avenues.

Later in 1988, a prominent theatre group Nagorik Natya Samprodaya staged the play Galileo under the direction of Ataur Rahman. The play ran for 50 successful shows. 'All the 50 shows were staged at the Goethe Institut because the set was suitable for the play,' says Selim.

Although Himmati Ma was a successful play, it could not run for a long spell because the leading actress of the play left the group. The play Golmatha Chokhamatha is still showing.

Most of the plays translated by Selim have been directed by Ataur Rahman. According to Selim, Ataur Rahman is one of the best directors in Bangladesh.

'I feel proud because most of the renowned actors such as Aly Zaker, Asaduzzaman Noor, Lucky Inam, Nima Rahman and Khaled Khan have performed in my plays,' says Selim.

Abdus Selim shies away from writing an original play. As he says modestly, 'I do not think I have that kind of talent.'

Recently Selim has translated three more plays--King Lear of Shakespeare, Lady from the Sea of Ibsen and The Government Inspector of Nikolai Gogol--which are to be staged this year. Now Selim wishes to translate the play The Brand of Ibsen.

'Translation is my passion now,' concludes Selim.