A postmodern discourse of humanistic attributes

Center for Asian Theatre (CAT) premiered their 21st production “Macabre” on Tuesday, at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Written by Anika Mahin, the play centres on the idea of freedom, conveying the underlying message of human equality, irrespective of race, ethnicity and social status and that each of us deserves dignity in life.

The play expresses the fact that all humans possess essential humanistic attributes and nurture these for their fellows. Thus human beings across the world are similar in their action and reaction to particular incidents in particular frames of mind: Love, affection, expression of emotions and dreams foster unity.

While faced with misery, squalor, oppression, disease and decay, every human being looks for freedom, happiness and salvation.

Anika Mahin's attitude is postmodern to all this dystopia. She celebrates the subtle irregularities of life through strong feelings for doing something, looking for freedom. This play does not talk about any particular society or nation in any specific geographic location; rather it brings forth the common human suffering. Thus it showcases the difference between human experiences in conceived space and perceived space, ultimately in virtual space.

Technically, the play does not reveal any character. Characters in this play represent the inner psyche of human beings. The choice of language, mention of geographical locations, costumes or other elements do not reveal any particular identity. Thematically, it resembles what Samuel Beckett or Harold Pinter did in the last century -- Theatre of the Absurd or Theatre of Menace. Like the Theatre of the Absurd, the story of this play continues inside a four-wall enclosure. The motion pictures, multi-screen projection technology, animation, 3D projection mapping and installation art takes it to new heights though. “Macabre” amalgamates western technology with the eastern cultural ethos to break the typical way of representing stories in theatre.

Kamaluddin Nilu has aptly directed the play with a careful eye on light, sound and performance on stage.