Rabindra Nagar Natyaayudh of Kolkata in India staged their show "Chhau Macbeth" at Muslim Institute auditorium on Friday evening.

The play was the maiden show by the group in Mymensingh, sources said.

The group is now visiting Bangladesh with three plays- "Chhau Macbeth", "Chakrabyua" and "Rasta". The troupe will tour Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Feni with their plays.

The plays aim at creating social awareness against the prevailing context of unrest among nations in a world caught up in the cycle of greed, power and self-interest, the group members said.

Chhau is Purulia's folklore based dance form in West Bengal and the form was used in the play, source said. 

Written and directed by Dani Karmakar, the show was organised by Ensemble Theatre, a leading theatre group in Mymensingh.  

The cast of the play were Dani and Sangeet Jana. Subol Karmakar assisted the play.

Talking to The Daily Star, Dani said the play based on William Shakespeare's  tragedy "Macbeth" was a multi-lingual production  in Bangla, Hindi and English. "Through the play, we want to present the importance of Shakespeare and his writings," the director said.

Macbeth is a tragedy that dramatises the damaging implications of political ambition when one wants power for its own sake. Set in the seventeenth century, Dani says the story is still relevant in the present social scenario.

This conflict is the prime subject of the play and sheds light on gender-based preconceptions from Shakespearean times to the present day, he said.

The capacity packed auditorium was gratifying for the performers.

Troupe members said it was a rare experience to visit the culturally rich Mymensingh.

Earlier, a discussion was held.

Prof Yusuf Khan Pathan, chairman of Mymensingh Zila Parishad addressed the discussion, among others.