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Dhaka Day by Day

Hamlet With a Difference

by Fayza Haq
Producing a Shakespeare play on a Dhaka stage, with all Its limitations and handicaps Is an achievement. To adapt and translate the play Into adequate Bangla. without losing the poetry. Irony, soliloquies and philosophy Is a tremendous feat. Aly Zaker has converted "Hamlet ", which normally runs for four and a half hours to a two-hour forty minutes production by "Nagorik* at the Mah Ila Semily auditorium. recently.
It would have been difficult to generate interest tn a literal translation, explained Aly Zaker. The time, place and characters remained different from the original "Hamlet" as this was necessary for the adaption. Yet the integral plot of the uncle killing the father with
connivance of the mother, and the sort trying to avenge the fa ther's murder had been retained. This was common enough in our villages where usurpa tion of properties was a regular happening." the producer explained.
However there were definite variations from the original. The interstate feuds were con verted into village quarrels. What was political became personal. The name of the hero was changed Into "Darpan", which had a double meaning of a mirror, reflecting a tragedy of great consequence.
To organise a play within a play, if a "Jatra" had been introduced, one would have required a massive stage. The producerdirector had
Introduced a "Jari gaan". A "boyoti" narrated the story through a song.
Aly Zaker avoided the original war scenes as there was no question of delineating a war between two villages. The subsequent scenes had been removed or the production would have been too massive to handle and present In one single evening for our audience.
The vital sword fight had to be adapted Into a wrestling bout- with knife flicking to draw bood and brought the series of tragic deaths.
The play was set in many places but I wanted to keep myself to one set to add to the symbolic unifying effect. I could not bring In the numerous changes as I had not the facilities. 1 installed the drape of red in the back to symbolise bloodshed and cruelty." the producer-director explained.
The dialects of Dhaka. Comilla and Brahmanbaria have been used in the dialogue. Aly Zaker wanted to make the play close to the heart of the people. He has every intentions of taking "Darpan" to the varied cities and villages of Bangladesh.
By selling the tickets 'Nagorik* met the production of the cost. The performers were not paid. Every actor has some profession of his own. He Is either an advertising agent or an engineer or even a doctor. Students were also roped into the caste It has cost Tk 30,000 which "Nagorik* took as a loan. By selling tickets they expected to meet the loan.
’Nagorik' has performed before in Chittagong. Sylhet, Comilla. Rangpur. Khulna. Jesaore, Mymensingh and Tangall
"We ll go wherever there is an available stage. Local groups Invite us and they sell the tickets that offset the cost of taking us there and keeping us. We travel by bus or train and we have been doing this for 17 yArs now, "Aly Zaker commented
Although "Darpan", as Hamlet" was called, had used a dialect yet there was a poetic fervour in the lines and the drama of the blank verse had been Incorporated.
The tragedy of Hamlet is universal. It can easily be adapted Into a Bangladeshi situation if you deleted the Interstate feuds, costumes, names and the countries The emotions are the same. The causes maybe different as there are no more large scale wars in the country. Land feuds between families are common. So is the lust for wealth and power. As for murder. If you open the newspapers, you are convinced that family murders are not that uncommon tn our society,' Aly Zaker believed As for the ghost in the village, this was referred to as something ethereal. The producers did not show the ghost but ft was referred to as "Adam Soorat or "Kal Punish" which converted onto the Image of "Darpan"'s father. People in the play constantly talked about it. An uncanny howling of a dog , by night, was added to the mystery.
Aly Zaker himself has acted before in two Shakespearean plays. One was "Macbeth" which was a translation by "Nagorik" Theatre and the other was Tempest" which was a Bangladesh Group Theatre produc-tlon. Directors had been flown In from London by the British Council to produce them. Tempest" had been directed by Deborah War ner of the National Theatre 1n London and "Macbethe" had been directed by Christopher Sand-ford of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
For the setting three elevations had been used. There were also three frames of bamboo placed in different places which looked like doors and added dimension. There was very few furniture apart from "moras" and a "choki". Thus am pie space was provided for the actors to move about.
"Darpan' has been a low cost production as not much has been spent on either the getting or the costume. The actors wore common, normal village clothes. The
hero wore a "punJabi" and faded slacks. "Begum" or Gertrude, as the widow, wore white, and transformed into pastel shades of red and green. "Kulsum" or Ophelia was similarly clad In a simple pink said. The rest were similarly in simple village clothes.
A band of four people were constantly on stage to play their instruments with the change of the scenes. There was the Bangla "dhol”; a "kasha" (bell) and a "mandira" (cymbal). The background music Introduced a rhythm rather than a tune , and this was to set the tragic mood of the play.
Khalid Khan, or "Darpan", said that it was not easy to portray Hamlet as he was such a complex character and his mannerisms were difficult to master. He said that what he enjoyed most were the dialogues with "Begum" (Gertrude) and "Kulsum" (Ophelia). He has done eleven stage plays including Tempest" where he acted as Antonio.
Shormishta. who is only 18, and an "A” level student in "Scholastica", played "Kulsum" (Ophelia) with remarkable confidence and finesse. Just as Khalid Khan put in his level best to do the part, so Shormishta put her whole being into the’ play. "My studies are not hampered at all with the rehearsals or the visits to the other cities, which are on weekends." Her favourite part was when she returned "Darpan* "s love tokens.
Nccma Rahman , who played "Begum" (Gertrude), has been acting In plays since she was five in '68 As an adult she has taken part in 17 TV plays. She has been with "Nagorik since she was eleven. She felt that the expert ence of playing the mother to a man who In re allty was much older than herself (she is 28) required a lot from her. She has acted In "Macbeth". Married , and with a son. she spends her free time In reading commentaries for advertisements.
"Mrtdha" or Claudius was played by Kauscr Chowdhury. He has acted in ten plays before, and Is involved in video film making in his everyday life. "When the script, director and 1 blend together there are no problems. Yet io act successfully in a place like Balangladcsh with a group like "Nagorik" one needs a tremendous sense of commitment", he corn mented.
It Is a treat indeed for the Bangladeshi viewers to have someone present them such a feast as "Darpan”. A lot of thought, reflection, difficult translatiorwwork. and hours of practice in acting has gone into the production. It would be marvellous indeed if we could have such viewing more frequently.