‘Dear Liar’ staged at BSA

Theatre troupe Natyam Repertory staged the Bangla adaption of Jerome Kilty's Dear Liar, at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) recently.  The play, directed by Irin Pervin Lopa, tells the story through a series of letters, exchanged between famed playwright George Bernard Shaw and actor Beatrice Rose Stella Tanner, better known as Mrs Patrick Campbell, over decades. The play was translated to Bangla by Abdus Selim. 

Ataur Rahman starred in the play as George Bernard Shaw, while Aupee Karim essayed the role of Mrs Patrick Campbell. The stage was decorated with pictures of Shaw and Campbell and posters of Shaw's famous plays, giving the story a fitting atmosphere.

Dear Liar is a testimony of the significance of letters in literature. Among other things, the play covers the romantic conversations between Shaw and Campbell and how World War I affected their lives. Campbell married another man leaving Shaw in shock and pain. Still, they exchanged letters, which became a source of energy for them at times of distress and decaying physical strength.

The actors successfully kept the audience hooked throughout the play with their remarkable performances. The production team also did a great job with the lighting, sound and music.