& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Theatre for and by the people

Lecture at Chhayanat

Jamil Mahmud
Chhayanat regularly organises programmes on music, recitation and dance. Recently, Chhayanat has initiated a new programme called "Nirdharito Baktritamala" (lecture series). Each instalment of the series features a selected topic and an in-depth lecture by a personality from the related field.
The latest instalment of the series was held at the Ramesh Chandra Dutt Memorial Auditorium, Chhayanat Shangskriti Bhaban on July 18. Theatre personality Shamsul Alam Bakul presented a nearly two-hour lecture on the topic "Shobar Jonno, Shobar Dara, Shobar Natok" (literarily meaning, "theatre for the people, by the people, of the people"). In his demonstration, Bakul mainly tried to focus on the relationship between the audience and the thespians. Delving on the topic, Bakul pointed out the forms of theatre practice in Bangladesh.
According to Bakul, in our country the form of theatre that is widely practiced now, originated from European Theatre. In the subcontinent, this form of theatre was introduced by Russian linguisttranslator Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev (1749-1817) in Calcutta in 1795. Usually this kind of theatre performance takes place in a proscenium, where spectators enjoy a play sitting in front of the stage.
There are somdbbstaCTes, according to Bakul, in this form of theatre when it comes to communicating with the audience directly.
Bakul argued, "Characteristically this form of theatre cannot communicate with the audience directly during the performance, as the audience watches the performance sitting in the dark and performers remain in the light."
"On the other hand, through some of the indigenous performing arts of our country like Gambhira, Alkap or
Bichar Gaan, performers can communicate with the audience directly, because during the performance audience and performers both remain in the light. Here, a bond between the audience and performers generate directly." Bakul added.
In his lecture, Bakul also focused on another form of theatre that is practiced in our country mainly by the development organisations. This form of theatre is called "Theatre for Development" (TfD). TfD was initiated in many countries in the early 1960. Bakul said, "In our country TfD was initiated in the early 1980s. Particularly development organisations practice this form of theatre as one of their main activities in their respective workplaces."
According to Bakul, initially TfD was widely recognised as "Popular Theatre". One of the main objectives of this form of theatre is to focus on development activities in a country.
However, TfD has generated debates among theatre activists, as their take on this form is that it is not directly related to theatre as it is to development activities.
Bakul also focused on the wayTfD is practiced in our country. He said, "Development organisations are practicing TfD in a way that is restricted by funds and agenda. When theatre is restricted by money and agenda, it cannot be considered an art form any more."
In this regard Bakul referred to famous Brazilian theatre personality Augusto Boal (1931-present). In the 1960s, Boal innovated a new form of theatre called "Theatre for the Oppressed" (TO). According to Bakul, the main objective of TO is to generate a language that enables people to demonstrate stories from their lives.
Bakul came to the conclusion that theatre should be practiced in a way that benefits the audience.
Among others, Dr. Sanjida Khatun, president of Chhayanat. was present at the programme.