Int’l French Drama Festival ‘09 begins today

A scene from the play “George Dandin.”

The second edition of the 'International French Drama Festival' begins today at the National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The eight-day festival, which will feature eight French plays translated into Bangla, is also part of the 50th anniversary programme of Alliance Francaise de Dacca (AFD). AFD in association with Natukay Theatre and Fame School of Dance, Drama and Music, Chittagong has been organising the festival.
The festival gets underway today with the staging of "Romeo et Jeannette" by Kalyani Kalamandalam of Kolkata. Santanu Das is the director of the play adapted from Jean Anouilh's work. Before the staging of the play, National Professor Kabir Chowdhury will inaugurate the festival, while Minister for Foreign Affairs Dipu Moni will be present as chief guest.
French artiste Simeo will perform a solo musical performance mixing theatre and music together on the second day.
Theatre troupe Natyachakra will stage "Goar" on the third day. Translated from Moliere's work "Le Misanthrope" by Professor Kabir Chowdhury, "Goar" is directed by Golam Sarwar. Natukay will stage "Now You See It" on the fourth day.
A seminar on "Theatre Practice in Bangladesh and French Drama" will take place on April 17 at the venue. Bhaswar Banerjee will present the keynote paper. As part of the festival, the organiser will honour Professor Kabir Chowdhury, Professor Sayeed Ahmed and Professor Zia Haider (posthumous) for their contributions to theatre.
Among other participating troupes, Fame School of Dance, Drama and Music will stage "Neta" (adapted from Eugene Ionesco) on April 18.
The organisers stated that the festival would highlight classics like works from Moliere and Eugene Ionesco as well as most contemporary French authors such as Georges Feydeau. "The festival is a part of the cultural policy of Alliance Francaise for the promotion of both French art and of Bangladeshi talented artistes," said Jacques Bounin, deputy director, AFD. Of the eight plays of the festival, four will be performed for the first time in Bangladesh.
On the concluding day, awards will be handed out for the best staged plays at the festival. The first International French Drama Festival took place last year.