Curtains come down on a landmark

Scenes from "Phona" (top) and "Jol Balika". Photo: Mumit M.

Just before entering the Neelima Ibrahim Auditorium of Mahila Shamiti, one just can't help but notice a series of black and white portraits hanging on the front wall of the auditorium. While all those individuals are no more with us, theatre lovers will recall their contributions for many days to come.
The series includes names such as Munier Chowdhury, Selim Al Deen, Sayeed Ahmed, Mohammad Zakaria, SM Solaiman, Abdullah Al Mamun, Zia Haider, ASM Arju Rahman and Najma Anwar.
Except for Munier Chowdhury, who was killed by the collaborators during the Liberation War, all of the other notable personalities had a great span of time to organise theatre activities at the old building of the Mahila Samity, where a theatre festival is being held for the last time. Chowdhury's contribution was the primary inspiration for the then theatre activists to initiate the “Neo-theatre Movement” in the country in 1973.
At such a memorable festival, recalling the masters is an appropriate step by the organisers, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation, said theatre lovers and activists.
The portraits are part of an exhibition that also features a number of photos and posters. The exhibition was inaugurated on the first day of the festival and will continue till today, the last day of the festival.
On the third day of the festival (September 10) sequences from eight plays were staged at the venue. Activists also recalled their old days. Among them were ITI Worldwide president Ramendu Majumdar, Syed Dulal (chief of Shabdabali, Barisal) and Mizanur Rahman, general secretary of Patho Natok Parishad.
The festival featured notable plays such as “Jol Balika”, “Phona”, “Rother Roshi”, “Nripati” and “Bela Shesher Galpo” respectively by Padatik Natya Sangshad Bangladesh, Shabdaboli(Barisal), Natyadhara, Nandanik and Nandimukh.
Each play has a different context. “Jol Balika” relates the story of a fishermen's community, while “Phona” is a saga set in a military camp. “Rother Roshi” is a play about class distinction. However, the troupes only got a chance to stage excerpts for 20minutes.
The festival ends today (September 12). On the day, popular troupes such as Theatre (Bailey Road), Aranyak, Theatre Art Unit, Prachyanat and Dhaka Theatre will stage sequences from their plays “Ekhono Kritodash”, “Mayur Singhashan”, “Birth Fantasy”, “Koinna” and “Muntasir”. A total of 11 troupes will perform today.