New plays, a puppet show and a qawwali evening in Dhaka over the two-day holiday
A range of cultural events are on offer in the capital Dhaka today and tomorrow, the two days of the holiday. Taking the stage today are Nabaras' new play 'Sojon Badia'r Ghat' and French puppet artist Laurie Cannac's performance 'Invisible Stories'.
Nabaras is bringing the new play based on Jasimuddin's narrative poem 'Sojon Badia'r Ghat'. Its opening performance will be held today at 7pm at the Bangladesh Mahila Samiti auditorium in the capital. The dramatisation and direction are by Syeda Shamsi Ara Sayeka. A technical performance of the play was held earlier, on 25 October, at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The cast includes Afia Zaman, Kashif Alfi Ahmed, Syeda Shamsi Ara Sayeka, Yusuf Russell, Nazmul Hasan, Nazmul Haque, Shakhawat Hossain, Hamim Sultan, Mohammad Imran Khan, Golam Morshed, Rajib Chandra Das, M Shahjada and Omar Faruq, among others.
'Invisible Stories', centred on Bangladeshi folktales, ghost stories and the nature of the Sundarbans, is a joint production of Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Compagnie Grain de Vie and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Two performances will be held today and tomorrow at 6pm at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Directed by French puppet artist Laurie Cannac, the performers are Cannac herself and Swati Bhadra, accompanied by live music. In the story, two scientists researching ghosts and the supernatural travel from Dhaka into the mysterious world of the Sundarbans. Today's performance will be in English and Bangla, and tomorrow's in French and Bangla. Audiences can watch free of charge, subject to seats being available.
Also today, 'Som + Sara', based on Jibanananda Das's novel 'Mallyaban', will be staged. Two performances will be held at 5pm and 7:30pm at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The manuscript editing and direction are by Khandaker Rakibul Haq. Shahzada Samrat Chowdhury plays Mallyaban, while Utpala is played by Jagyosini Mou and Tasnuva Tamanna.
At Stack Gallery in Gulshan, 'Ojothakando' will be held today and tomorrow. Running from 3pm to 8pm each day, the ticketed event includes an art exhibition, music performances, poetry recitation and food. DJ Mahdi performs today, and DJ Lunithvoid tomorrow.
October 13 was the birthday of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. To mark the occasion, a special qawwali evening, 'Ishq-e-Nusrat', will be held in Dhaka tomorrow, Saturday. Capital Curve Communications has organised the event at the KIB Auditorium in the Khamarbari area of Farmgate. The bands Sufitan and Nafs will perform qawwali, while the HU Sufi Troupe will present Sufi dance. Gates open for audiences at 4:30pm; the show starts at 6pm and runs until 10pm.
