SYED MOHIDUL ISLAM MEMORIAL FESTIVAL 2017
Three-day festival begins at Shilpakala today
Prachyanat to stage Circus Circus on opening day
DL reporter
A three-day theatre festival titled Syed Mohidul Islam Memorial Festival 2017 (Syed Mohidul Islam Smaran Utsab) is going to kick off today on the premises of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in the capital. Batikrom Natyagosthi, in association with Ministry of Cultural Affairs and BSA, has organised the event to mark the fifteenth death anniversary of Syed Mohidul Islam.
Today, on the opening day, theatre troupe Prachyanat will stage their play Circus Circus at the National Theatre Hall, while Batikroms Durasha O Pichhudak will be staged tomorrow. Abdullah Al-Mamun Theatre School Praktoni will bring their play Prothom Partho to the stage on the concluding day on August 26. The plays will be staged every day from 6pm to 9pm.
This year, Syed Mohidul Islam Padak will be conferred on noted thespian Liaquat Ali Lucky. Besides, Manchabandhu award will be given to Mansura Aktar of Somoy Natyadal, Kamal Mohammad Ahsan of Subachan Natya Sangsad, Lucy Tripti Gomez of Natyakenda and Shubhasish Singha of Monipuri Theatre.
On the other hand, eminent artiste couple Sujit Mostafa and Munmun Ahmed, Aniruddha Kumar Dhar and Ruma Modak from Sylhet-based theatre troupe Jibon Sangket and Shatabdi Wadud and Snata Shahrin from Prachyanat will be honoured with the couple award for their contribution to their respective fields.
However, Prachyanats Circus Circus was the first full-length play by the group and was quickly recognised as one of the major productions of the year. The outline of the play can be told in following terms. The Great Bengal Circus once enjoyed widespread fame under its founder owner Laksman Das. The company is now being managed by his brother, who rebuilt the company that was ravaged during the liberation war of 1971.
In the course of events, the company arrives at a village to put up a show. The company is plagued by a number of problems unskilled performers, strained relationship and rivalry among the members etc. As if to worsen the situation, members of a fundamentalist religious group threatens to stop the show.
Rahul Anand is the music director while Md Shaiful Islam is in set and light designing with Toufikul Islam Emon in costume designing.
Where: BSA, Segun Bagicha
When: 6pm, today
