The National Theatre Hall at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy erupted in sustained standing ovations on Sunday evening as the biennial National Drama Festival commenced with an evocative staging of Syed Shamsul Haq’s masterwork.
Directed with bold physical choreography and minimalist bamboo lighting architecture, the production navigated themes of agrarian solidarity, colonial duplicity, and the enduring dignity of the rural subaltern.
Over the next fortnight, forty-four theatre troupes from across sixteen districts will perform, highlighting the vibrant decentralized vitality of live stage performance across Bangladesh.
