The 15th edition of annual drama festival ‘Dhaka University Central Annual Drama Festival-2021’ kicked off on Monday (Mar 21) on the university campus. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman formally inaugurated the festival while state Minister of Cultural Affairs K M Khalid was present as chief guest on the inaugural program at the Natmandal auditorium of the university.
This twelve-day long festival, organized by the theatre and performance studies department, which was supposed to be held in December last year, will be continued till Apr 1 each day from 7 p.m. at the Natmandal auditorium of the university.
A total of nine dramas – seven dramas directed by honors’ final year students and another two directed by two faculties of the department – will be staged at the festival.
DU Treasurer Mamtaz Uddin Ahmad was present on the occasion as special guest, while the Chairman of the department Md Ashiqur Rahman presided over the programme. Besides, the department also provided special honor to legendary cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar for his special contribution to the country’s theatre sector. DU VC Md Akhtaruzzaman handed over an honorary memento to Ramendu Majumdar.
Irish playwright Samuel Barclay Beckett’s play ‘Waiting for Godot’– directed by Professor Israfeel Shaheen and performed by Master’s second semester students – will be staged at the Natmandal auditorium each day till Mar 26 starting from Monday.
On Mar 27, the play 'Kharij' written by Shongkar Kumar Biswas under the direction of Debashis Kumar Dey Proshanto and the play ‘Kothaye Pabo Tarey’ based on the story of eminent writter Shahidul Zahir, will be staged directed and dramatized by Md Ashraful Islam Shayan.
On Mar 28, Apurba Chakraborty directed playwright Eldad Cohen's play 'Reporter Theater a Play' and South African playwright Athol Fugard’s play 'The Shadow of Hummingbird' directed by Wazed Shahriar Hashmi, scheduled to be staged.
Three plays – Tennessee Williams' play ‘The Two Character Play’, directed by Nadira Anjum Mimi; 'Shesh Godhulir Ghum', written and directed by Taslima Hossain Nodi; Saoli Mitra's play ‘Nathavati Anathvat’, directed by Indrani Das Nishi will be staged on the evening of Mar 29.
From Mar 30 to Apr 1, Rabindranath Tagore’s play ‘Bisharjan’, directed by the department's assistant professor Tanvir Nahid Khan and performed by seventh semester students, will be staged following traditional Jatrapala style.
