Dhaka University's Theatre and Performance Studies Department has produced a new stage play, and are setting up for five shows of the play back to back in the capital.

The play, titled “PaNjore Chandrabaan" (English title "Lunatic Asylum"), is written by Shahman Moishan and directed by Dr. Israfeel Shaheen, both of them teachers of the department. Students of the Masters degree at the department - Tanmay Paul, Sakhawat Fahad, Ummey Hany, Ummey Somaiya, Shangkar Kumer Bishwas, Roney Das, Israt Jahan Moutusi aand Sanwarul Haque - comprise the cast of the play.

The play will premiere on March 5 at the Nat-Mandal of Dhaka University, and from March 6-9 will be staged every day at the Experimental

Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

"PaNjore Chandrabaan" entails a new narrative of violence-infested global realities, along with the eternal search for the beauty of living in milieu of homelessness. According to the official synopsis: "The play as the political allegory radiates the idea of home which foreshadows the crisis and crying of Rohingya people in context of geo-political catastrophe in South Asia and even the political calamity in Middle East and also in the other parts of the globe. The play examines the paradox of identity politics, hegemony of perverted intellectualism, the trauma of rape, the lower depths of the oppression, fractured existential crisis of being, the passion and misfortunes of kith and kinship, the hope for the promised land and at last the eternal desire for beauty."

Ashiq Rahman Leeon has designed set, light and props for the production. Kazi Tamanna Haque Sigma has designed costumes and has composed the music along with Sydur Rahman Lipon for the play, with choreography by Amit Chowdhury.

"PaNjore Chandrabaan" will then travel to India, where will be staged on March 13 at Patna and March 14 in Delhi, as part of the 8th Theatre Olympic, organised this year by the National School of Drama, New Delhi.