Nagorik Natyangan Drama Festival 2005

Veteran Obayedul Haque (3L) inaugurating the festival; (L-R) Syed Shamsul Haque, Lucky Inam, Mahmudul Islam Selim, Manzur-e-Moula, Dr Inamul Haque and Kabir Choudhury are also seen

On February 6, cultural activists were present during the inauguration programme of the festival. After the instrumental presentation of the group members, acclaimed journalist Obayedul Haque, chief guest of the programme, inaugurated the drama festival.

Manzur-e-Moula was the special guest of the ceremony. Dr Inamul Haque, the president of the theatre troupe, was in the chair, and Lucky Inam, general secretary of Nagorik Natyangan, delivered the welcome speech.

In this programme, the troupe honoured eight eminent cultural activists of the country: Kabir Choudhury, Saeed Ahmed, Ataur Rahman, Syed Shamsul Haque, Aly Zaker, Nasiruddin Yousuff, Rafiqun Nabi and Abdus Selim.

Ramendu Majumdar, president of International Theatre Institute Bangladesh Branch, and Golam Kuddus, general secretary of Shommilito Shankskritik Jote, delivered speeches congratulating the troupe on its 10th anniversary.

After a prolonged discussion session, Nagorik Natyangan staged Habuchandra Gabuchandra.

As a street play Habuchandra Gabuchandra, written and directed by Mahmudul Islam Selim, has always been a successful production, but as a stage play it was not a quality one. This is the first time the troupe has staged the street play as a full-fledged theatre on the proscenium arch stage.

Selim has unfolded the play using an indigenous art form--pala gaan. The Gayen (bard) and his Doarki (co-artiste) presents a fable where the rulers ride roughshod over the masses. At the end of the fable, the common people revolt against the rulers. Though the artistes have displayed quality choreography on stage, the design section--set and light--was not up to the mark.

Preview
Golmatha Chokhamatha
What do the oppressors do to control a revolution carried out by the oppressed? They create division amongst the exploited. This universal fact is reflected in the play Golmatha Chokhamatha, a translation from Bertolt Brecht's play Round Heads and Peaked Heads.

The imaginary city, Yahoo, represents the world in the play where the proletariats live a miserable life. When the oppressed become conscious of their rights, the manipulative ruling force creates a division in the ranks of the revolutionaries. Through this process, the rulers constantly dominate the proletariat.

As part of the ongoing drama festival arranged by Nagorik Natyangan, the group stages Golmatha Chokhamatha directed by Dr. Israfil Shahin at the National Theatre Stage at Shilpakala Academy today.

Lucky Inam, Mahamudul Islam Selim, Gias Babu and others perform in the play.