“TO BE OR NOT TO BE ...”

Hamlet is considered the most powerful and the popular tragedy composed by timeless playwright William Shakespeare. Ambidextrous litterateur Syed Shamsul Haq, employed his subtle literary and poetic sense, translated the play into Bangla as what would be one of his last works. Eminent thespian Ataur Rahman took charge to direct the play with a repertory cast put together by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, which premiered at the National Theatre Hall of BSA on April 16 as part of the yearlong celebration of William Shakespeare.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor graced the occasion as chief guest while Ramendu Majumdar, president of International Theatre Institute (worldwide), actor-director-critic Ataur Rahman and writer-cultural personality Mafidul Haque attended the event as guests of honour. Liaquat Ali Lucky, DG, BSA presided over the programme. 

The story of the tragic play revolves around Denmark's King Hamlet's death and Prince Hamlet's mourning the death of his father, internal conflict of seeing his mother marry his crown-ascending uncle, and eventually uncovering his father's murderer and avenging his death.

As the play was staged in an abridged version, it focuses only on Hamlet's peeling up the mystery of his father's murderer and the element of tragedy. The part of Fortinbras, Norwegian crown prince, who assumes the throne of Denmark after Hamlet's death, does not appear in the scene.

While it is safe to say the premiere was successful in terms of audience engagement, and the set, light and costume designs were praiseworthy -- the play fell short of being the mesmerising experience that a Shakespearean play promises, owing somewhat to patchy sound design and dialogue delivery that never reached their potential. The incorporation of poems and songs by Jibanananda Das, Rabindranath Tagore and Syed Shamsul Haq along with intrusion of light comedy of traditional jatrapala, however, elevated the play and gave it a new dimension.