“Gondar” staged in Chittagong

Theatre lovers of port city were captivated by the performance of "Gondar", a Bangla adaptation of Eugene Ionesco's play "Rhinoceros", on Saturday evening held at the city's Alliance Française auditorium.

Fame, a renowned Chittagong based theatre troupe staged the play with the support of Alliance Française de Chittagong.

The play was jointly translated by Kabir Chowdhury and Shaonli Mitra while Ashim Das, of Chittagong University, directed the play.

"Rhinoceros" depicts a curious story of the dwellers of a small French city. All the people of the city are gradually transformed into rhinos after an epidemic breaks out. But only Bérenger, a perplexed average Joe who is often criticised by his friends for his drinking habits and indolence -- does not transform into a rhino with this mass metamorphosis.

As the mass transformation ensues, Bérenger along with his colleague Daisy (with whom he is hopelessly in love with) try to resist and agrees to get married to restore the human race.

But soon afterwards, changing her mind, Daisy starts to admire the rhinos' enthusiasm and energy and transforms into a rhino.

Bérenger was firm not to transform and later declares, "I'm the last man, I will stay till the end! I'm not giving up!"

The story has been written based on World War II and it is thought that the theme of the play was the response to the sudden upsurge of Communism, Fascism and Nazism prior to World War II.

Aabir Mandal played the role of Bérenger while Nishigandha Dasgupta enacted the role of Daisy.

Abdul Kader Jitu, Salahuddin Bappy, Poly Chowdhury, Sabiha Binte Jashim, Ashrafa Hossain, Mubidur Rahman, Khadijatul Kubra, Kamal Barua, Rumel Barua and Dipta Chakrabarry performed other roles.

Before the show, the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of France in Bangladesh Jean Pierre Poncet and Director of Alliance Française de Chittagong Dr. Selvam Thorez delivered welcome speeches.