DU Annual Theatre Fest

The 10th edition of Dhaka University Central Annual Theatre Festivalbegan at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of the university on Thursday (Dec 3) evening, amid much enthusiasm and a vow to spread culture.

In line with the previous years, Theatre and Performance Studies Department of the university is hosting the five-day-long celebration of theatrical art. 

The festival was inaugurated by DU Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique at TSC auditorium. Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, and Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star, Mahfuz Anam attended the ceremony as the chief guest and special guest respectively. The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Sudip Chakraborthy, Chairman of Theatre and Performance Studies Department.

Following the brief inauguration ceremony, "Bent" was brought to a houseful audience. The play, written by Martin Sherman, has been translated and directed by Shaharul Islam Kajol.

"Bent", set against the backdrop of the Second World War, zooms in on the lives of homosexual Jews living in Berlin and their treatment at the hands of the Nazis. 

The story starts unfolding with a despairing tone, as Max, Ruddy and Mr. Parker talk about the cruelty of the Nazis and foresee an imminent peril. Moment later, the Nazi military raids their apartment and kills Ruddy and Mr. Parker. Max is taken to Dachau concentration camp where he meets fellow homophile inmate Horst and develops a relationship with him.

In the camp, they were forced to do the pointless job of moving stones from one area of the camp to another, and then moving them back again. Despite the realisation that carrying stones is weighing heavily on them, Max and Horst accept the savagely harsh reality of their confinement. However, a Nazi captain kills Horst, and failing to accept it, Max commits suicide ending the play on a sad note. 

Ishtiak Khan Pathan, Shaharul Islam Kajol, Dheeman Chandra Barman, Najmul Huda and Rony Das are in the cast among others. 

The festival, running till December 8, will see the staging of "Kaler Japonrongo", "Death Knocks", "Bhoshsho", "4.48 Psychosis", "Crave and Not Crave" and "Bratyo". 

The festival, patronized by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, is being assisted by The Daily Star, and Standard Chartered.