Theatre ULAB honours July martyrs with Brecht’s ‘Señora Carrar's Rifles’ adaptation
Theatre ULAB, in collaboration with Bodhi Natya, has brought Bertolt Brecht's "Señora Carrar's Rifles" to the Experimental Theatre Hall at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Presented in Sukhamay Bose's Bengali translation, the production is conceptualised and directed by Sarwar Jahan Upol, with production supervision by Munatasir Mamun of Theatre ULAB.
Originally written in 1937 amid the Spanish Civil War, Brecht's one-act drama follows Teresa Carrar, a widow determined to keep her sons away from the front lines until circumstances compel her to take up arms.
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This adaptation retains the play's central conflict but reimagines Brecht's imagery—swords replace rifles, key events are restaged in surreal form, and Juan's "fishing trip" is portrayed through Butoh, a Japanese dance-theatre style known for its raw, unconventional movement. Symbolic elements, such as a Peace Fairy and abstract representations of loss, replace Brecht's more literal wartime portrayal.
The play is dedicated to "the martyrs of July," directly referencing Bangladesh's 2024 July Uprising. Scenes in the play echo real-life accounts of state violence and detention, including references to the alleged detention site "Aynaghar".
A particularly striking moment features a reading from the letter of "Anas", a 16-year-old killed during the protests, recasting Brecht's themes of moral responsibility and collective action.
"The question we wanted to leave with the audience was simple," the organisers said. "Whether we fight or not, does the outcome stay the same?"
Breaking from Brecht's original militant ending, the final scene invites the audience to decide for themselves whether to join the fight. As the curtains closed, the hall was met with a pause of awestruck silence before applause.
The play is being staged at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Segunbagicha. Showtimes are set for August 12 and 13 at 7:30pm, and on August 14 at both 4:30pm and 7:30pm.
Tickets are priced at Tk 100 for students and Tk 300 for ULAB faculty and administrative staff and will be available through ULAB's promotional outlets.
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