Welcome to ‘A Season of Bangla Drama’ 2012. This year there’s a great selection of drama, music, seminars and panel discussions as well as an exhibition to help profile the enormous talent that goes into this annual festival of theatre. Now in its 10th year, A Season of Bangla Drama continues to explore how Bengali culture and heritage can be exported across continents and reinterpreted using a mixture of innovation and tradition to inspire a new generation and develop new audiences. We are delighted to be giving a platform to emerging writers, directors and performers from Tower Hamlets. This celebration of Bengali drama, literature and poetry incorporates a range of topical themes such as mental and physical health, violence against women, racism and environmental issues as well as a range of emotions and character traits which drive certain behaviour – from love and greed to ambition and despair. The strength, fragility and comedy of humankind is portrayed through a host of creative approaches to storytelling, and all are relevant to the richness and diversity of life in 21st century East London. There is something for everyone with ten plays in thirteen days, all of which feed into the identity of One Tower Hamlets! Lutfur Rahman Mayor of Tower Hamlets 2 Saturday 3 November 2012 Mosaic presents Ekti Asharhe Shopno - A Fantastic Dream Created and Directed by Dr Mukid Choudhury Based on William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Chitrangada’. Ekti Asharhe Shopno - A Fantastic Dream deals Music Team: Gouri Bhattacharya, Hirak Khan, with the universal theme of love and its Arfuman Choudhury, Arun Mukherji, Mohammed Faisal, complications: lust, disappointment, confusion Monjulika Jamali, Pretom Kumar Shah, Piyas Barua. and marriage. The plot focuses on three parallel Light Design: Tom Castle stories: the trials and experiences of two sets of Set Design: Nagendra Bhattacharya lovers; the world of the fairies; and a group of Costumes: Rob Dewan Syed, East End Logistics craftsmen attempting to stage a production. Stage: Rahman Dewan Syed, Sujan Chowdhury Front of House: Dr Hasneen Choudhury and Meghaban is in love with Linduchandra, but her Rakib Dewan Syed father, Manu, wants her to marry Aditya. To escape the arranged marriage, she and Linduchandra About the organisation elope into the woods. Aditya follows them, and he Mosaic was established in 1996 to working with is pursued by Bindu, who nurses an unrequited all members of the community to: passion for him. A love quadrangle develops • advance the development of performing and among the young lovers when mischievous visual arts throughout London Borough of Krishnapori plays Kamdev (Cupid). "The course Tower Hamlets, Camden and Islington of true love never did run smooth" says • act as a forum for discussion of performing and Linduchandra. Meanwhile, a group of amateur visual arts projects, and artistic endeavours actors rehearse a badly-written play in the • support organisations, groups and individuals woods, and soon all find their lives changed by involved in any form of arts and promote and the doings of Pariraj and Parirani, the warring enhance co-operation between organisations king and queen of the fairies. Magic, action, and individuals involved in the pro vision of love and humor are the ingredients for this visual and performing arts unforgettable spell. Cast and production team Movement Theatre Team: Priyoty Sheikh, Protthoy Sheikh, Smrity Azad, Mitun Chandra Das, Mina Chakraborty, Maher Ahmed, Sadeq Ahmad Sadi, Sadia Rahman, Md Alamin Talukder, S. M. Shafiquel Islam, Md Shoriful Islam, Muhith Hakim, Shahab Uddin Ahmed, Mala Sarker, Rajan Shaha, Sheikh Nurul Islam, Alok Nandi, Ifatara Khanome, Samsul Islam Rubel, China Chowdhury, Kayes Muktadir, Ajanta Dev, Siplu De, Md Shafiul Alam, Ziaur Khan. 3 Sunday 4 November 2012 Cast and production team Direction, Light Design & Operation: Md Ali Haider Theatre Folk presents Jamuna Music: Sumel Chowdhury Written by Selina Shelley Costume Design: Refat Reza Choreography: Samina Luthfa On the eve of her first exhibition, artist Jamuna Set and Props Design: Syed Manzurul Hussain has a dilemma to face. She has promised an Set Construction: Philip Rae-Scott exclusive interview about her life and work which Music Operation & Stage Manager: Saidur Rahman will expose her past as a freedom fighter in Poster Design: Saidur Rahman Bangladesh who was imprisoned and abused – Business Development: Indrajit Roy something her children have never known about her. Front of House: Masum Reza, Mohammad ShafiUlAzam Her daughter meanwhile intends to announce her Photos: Masum Reza, Matthew Hood, betrothal at the exhibition. Should Jamuna break Nyomi Khan, Samina Luthfa free from the shackles of her past and face being Translation of the Play: Chupkatha Priovashini, ostracised from her family and society? This play Jessi Rodoshi and Rupkatha Priodarshini explores the effect of war on women, their social life and sexuality. Although the story focuses on Actors: Selina Shelley, Syed Manzurul Hussain Bangladesh in 1971, it delves into a matter faced Chupkatha Priovashini, Elita Antanaityte by women all across the world even today. Madeeha Hussain, Jessi Rodoshi Rupkatha Priodarshin About the organisation Theatre Folks is an Oxford based theatre troupe of like-minded individuals who have a passion for theatre. Established in August 2010, Theatre Folks successfully brought its first production Tale of Two Friends to the stage in April 2011. Theatre Folks is led by Masum Reza, a versatile playwright, imminent theatre personality and organiser from Bangladesh currently living in Oxford. www.theatrefolks.com 4 Thursday 8 November 2012 Shopno Bilash performed by Leesa Gazi & Md Ali Haidor followed by Bishwo Shahitto Kendro Seminar : The Life and Work of Humayun Ahmed Shopno Bilash - A play based on a simple truth, no matter where and how far you go in life you always desire to come back to a place you call home. Master storyteller Humayun Ahmed's play Shopno Bilash features Leesa Gazi and Mohammed Ali Haider Dr. Sheikh Selim is the keynote speaker in disseminating the literary and artistic life of Humayun Ahmed (1948-2012), one of Bangladesh’s most prolific creative giants. As an eminent author, dramatist, screen writer and film maker, his contributions have been hugely influential. Dr Selim’s presentation and session will include a biographical commentary on Dr. Humayun Ahmed and an analysis of his literary and film making style. It will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Dr. Selim is an economist by profession, and is currently working as an Associate Professor of Economics in the University of Westminster in London. Additionally Dr. Selim is serving the Bengali community of the UK as the chief of art, culture, literature and education related events of the Bangla Academy UK. About the organisation Bishwo Shahitto Kendro invites its audiences to explore the breadth of Bengali and worldwide cultures through literature, music and visual art forms to learn from our common creative heritage. While helping new generations find role models and strength in the received wisdom of art forms which cross cultural boundaries, we also encourage groups and individuals to explore their creative potential so as to develop leadership skills for the future. 5 Friday 9 November 2012 at Rich Mix Supported and Sponsored by UBS Wealth Culturepot Global presents Bonbibi Management and Solai Services Ltd Written by Leesa Gazi About the organisation The story of Bonbibi unfolds in the Sundarbans, Brings together emerging and established artists an archipelago of islands set deep in the heart across art form to provide a platform for the of Bengal stretching from Bangladesh to West organic process of collaboration. Culturepot Bengal, India. The largest mangrove forest in the productions often have a distinct Bangladeshi world, also home to the Royal Bengal tigers, flavour, but are uniquely innovative, currently faces grave ecological danger. Dokhini contemporary and all inclusive, to ensure global Rai, a spirit of the forest who is half-human, half- appeal. Collaborations are with artists of all tiger transforms into a tiger to devour the humans origins drawn from the rich diversity of London who are destroying the forest. He legitimises aiming to open up serious and sustainable killing them as ‘tax’ for all the resources of the cultural dialogues to make a difference. Focus is jungle. Bonbibi, a child left by her poor parents placed on a younger generation audience base. and raised by animals is chosen by Allah to Culturepot events, whilst purely artistic in their embark on a spiritual quest to restore mutual making, also raise awareness of social and politi - respect between man and animal, and the cal issues within the art form itself or by associa - environment they share – their habitat and tion with advocacy partners. source of livelihood. Bonbibi is an innovative retelling of this ancient Bengali folktale, through dramatised reading, puppetry, physical theatre and music, capturing the essence of current issues on conservation and the environment. Production team Creative Producer: Runi Khan Director: Filiz Ozcan Lead Vocalist: Sohini Alam Percussionist: Daniel Monski Puppetry: Randy Ginsburg 6 Saturday 10 November 2012 Dakshinee Kolkata/ Dakshinayan UK presents Hey Mahajibon - The Great Life Written by Rabindranath Tagore Direction and concept by Dr Ananda Gupta Many literary works by Gurudev Tagore have About the organisation been very greatly influenced by aspects of Dakshinayan UK is a volunteer led organisation Buddhism and yet this impact on his writing is which since 2003 has been following the Tagore relatively unknown to the western world. Curriculum of the esteemed Dakshinee music Concepts of tolerance, truth, non-violence, academy in Kolkata. The organisation has renunciation, sacrifice, repentance, are all strived to produce new works with a particular reflected in extracts of five performances focus on storytelling with a contemporary twist, evolving around dance and theatre. in this way promoting awareness of the Tagore cultural tradition within the UK.