“Raarang” representing Bangladesh at Korean theatre fest
Theatre troupe Aranyak Natya Dal will represent Bangladesh at the 20th Masan International Theatre Festival (MITF) to be held in South Korea. A 15-member team headed by Bikash Kishore Das, secretary of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), will leave Dhaka tomorrow (August 2) to participate at the festival. Raarang will be staged at the festival on August 6.
Earlier, Raarang was staged at Bharat Rang Mahautsav, the national theatre festival organised by Ministry of Cultural Affairs, India at National School of Drama in Delhi.
Claiming this opportunity as "a milestone", an enthusiastic Mamunur Rashid, chief of Aranyak as well as the director and playwright of Raarang, said, "This is for the first time a theatre troupe has been selected by the Ministry of Information upon suggestions from Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF)."
However, the process of sending a theatre troupe as a government delegation has not been smooth. Aranyak was nominated in 2006 to participate at the Cairo Theatre Festival, however, because of bureaucratic tangles that opportunity did not materialise. This year pressure from BGTF as well as positive intention of the authority has made the participation possible.
There are a few problems, however. Usually 27 artistes perform in Raarang -- a play featuring the strife of the impoverished Santals to survive the discrimination imposed by the dominating Bengalis -- at the Korean festival however, 13 actors will perform in the play.
Director Mamunur Rashid said, "It shouldn't be a big issue. Raarang is a flexible theatre production. Several actors will perform more than one character."
"I was worried about the last combat scene in the play, but it's also been handled well," he added.
Is it a compromise to stage the play abroad? According to Rashid, "Not at all. The standard of the production has been maintained. We agreed with the government proposal of sending 13 actors headed by a government official. Otherwise, no troupe could go through government channel."
"It should also be mentioned that substantial funds are required to send a delegation abroad. We also considered the limitations of the government," he added.
On the selection process, Bhuinya Shafiqul Islam, director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), informed, "Ministry of Cultural Affairs through BSA, asked BGTF to suggest names for the festival. Based on their suggestion the government has decided to select the top troupe. As per suggestions of BGTF, the government will send Dhaka Theatre's production Nimojjon at the upcoming Cairo Theatre Festival in Egypt."
"Representation of our culture and literature through theatre productions at international festivals will enhance our image," he hoped.
Theatre leaders are also optimistic on the issue. Claiming the selection process "fair", M. Hamid, chairman of BGTF, said, "Considering the performance, we selected five troupes for government consideration for the tour. I believe the whole process will boost the amateur theatre activists of the country."
"I appreciate the government initiative as earlier theatre was not considered for international festivals," he added.
His view was reflected in Deputy Director of Department of Theatre and Film, BSA Golam Sarwar's tone. Sarwar is the Team Manager of the Korean trip, who will also operate lights during the staging of Raarang at MITF. He said, "BSA received several offers to send theatre troupes abroad, but because of bureaucratic tangles, instead of sending theatre troupes we used to send dance troupes.”
"The current trip would create a window of opportunity for the theatre troupes of the country," he hoped.
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