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Dhaka Day by Day

What Environmental Plays have to Offer

by Fayza Haq
Ashish Khandokar has been interested in environmental plays as they are economical as well as educational He is the first producer of environmental plays in Bangladesh with his 30-minute creation. Pratna" (which dealt with a Rayerbazar killing by the Pakistan Army In '71). This was patronised by the Shilpakala Academy.
"Environmental plays create everyday action according to one’s environment and cultural pqst. A playwright presents logical arguments through everyday existence.’’ Khandokar explained alxiut his work.
When asked about his studies in Delhi. Khandokar elabo rated. "I was exposed not only to subcontinental culture but to that of a variety of South-East -Asian ones, as well. I also learnt more about western theatre there. I learnt more about matters such as the Greek. Roman, Elizabethan. Restoration, as well as contemporary western theatre. I realised the seriousness that is involved in the best of works, the world over. My concept of the theatre thus became more serious." When asked to comment on whal Khandokar had learnt from his recent trip to Britain, which he did via a scholarship from the the British Council."I was impressed by the contemporary British drama. In the cultural forum at the Royal Court Theatre, my concept of the world theatre widened and helped me to comprehend the seriousness involved in theatre production. 1 was exposed to contemporary British drama." Khandokar said.
Commenting on his own environmental theatre.. Khandokar added: "I do my research work according to the space that I am given or I have selected. The play that you saw earlier at the FA Department. DU was Mohammed Amin’.*
"In it. I attempted to bring in both the past and present political, social and psychological situation for the basic theme of the play. The difficulty that I faced with this play was the lack of financial backing. Tickets were sold as they normally are; but environmental plays being low cost ones, as they always are. collected only Tk 20.000. and this was not adequate for my future plans for the experimental theatre. The plot comprised incidents that took place within ,a span of seven days.'
Asked to compare and contrast th? environmental theatre In Bangladesh - for whicfi Khandokar is putting in all his energy and mental faculties — and that found In Britain . he remarked. "We. in Bangladesh, are not truly experimental : we simply ape the west and are ^complacent about It."
Talking about his recent experience, while studying in London, he added. The British environmental theatre has a searching quality. I was most intrigued by the Black theatre there, being from the East myself. This is primarily a political one, and done by 'coloured' British migrants. What also appealed to me there was the studio theatre."
"In the UK, the environmental, historical, socio-political, scientific, and economic progress is very different from what one knows exists in Bangladesh. There is a philosophical and psychological difference between the audi ence there and here in Bangladesh. There are different gestures and methods of acting."
Asked if he enjoyed his work as a playwright and director. Khandokar replied. ”1 am proud of my educational works. My productions are ’based on actual characters and historical facts. Their ingenuity lies in the characters acting out a theme, sometimes, over an immense period of . lime, as in 'Modhur Canteen'. which combined the nobility of the Moghul period of Nawab Sirajudaullah with that of various regimes In Bangladesh, including that of the Ershad regime.’'
About his own environmental theatre productions. Khandokar added. They give new Ideas, if given the opportunity. However, for this we need some financial backing from patrons like rich industrialists. A research centre, which attempts to' discover something through experiments, should be established in Bangladesh. We are not interested in simply presenting plays just for the sake of entertainment. We want to convey a meaningful message to individuals of the different generations of Bangladesh."
"Working professionally for four years gives me the hope for creating an environmental theatre department at some university In Bangladesh. This has not been done in any part of Asia. One finds It In places such as the New York University. We. In Bangladesh, have a lot to offer despite our limitations. If one' works with a university, one's academic discipline improves as a theatre playwright and director. I am now contemplating on Environmental •Journal Theatre (EJT) or the "PrOttdener Theatre, which is a mobile one. Actors there are meant to get press clippings and extemporise," Khandokar elaborates on his future plans and programmes.
Khandokar was born in '64. in Dhaka, and grew up in Gaibandha. His mother is a teacher and his father was a Marxist-Leninist political activist.