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Lokkhoner ShaktiShel by off-kendrik ​​​
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Dir - Sankha Bhowmick
Playwright - Sukumar Ray
Synopsis:
Lokkhoner Shaktishel is a farcical retelling of an episode from the epic Ramayana. Written by Sukumar Ray in the early twentieth century, it has been one of the most enduring children's plays in Bengal. Set as a musical, it shows an anxious and dysfunctional Ram’s camp fearing the wrath of Rabon. Rabon kills Lokkon in the battlefield with the powerful Shaktishel. Jambuban’s ayurvedic knowledge and Hanuman’s ability to bring in a mountain allows the revival of Lokkhon. The tongue in cheek nature of the play and the idiosyncrasies of the characters are always a powerful reflection of contemporary society.
Off-Kendrik chose to set this play to the background of real war, recreating the perennial Ram-Rabon war as a game played by young adults in an almost cartoonish manner reflecting on the desensitization of violence and the thin line between real and perceived war in today’s society.
Ramayana has been an important part of the heritage of the Indian subcontinent. Every region and subregion have their own way of interpreting the rich tapestry provided by this epic. Telling and retelling of the stories take contemporary forms to reflect the times. This tradition continues with Lokkhoner Shaktishel.​​
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Ekti A-samanyo Ghatana by
ENAD- boston
Dir - Shanto Ghosh
Playwright - shanto ghosh
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Synopsis:
The play depicts a seemingly innocuous incident between a teacher and his student that leads to a series of events that result in significant consequences in the life of both the teacher and the student. Act 1 presents the incident while Acts 2 and 3 presents the incident from the perspectives of the student and then the teacher. It touches on a very serious issue of harassment and highlights the grey area on what is considered acceptable in the field of performing arts. Ekti (Aw) Shamanyo Ghotona is inspired by David Mamet’s play “Oleanna”.
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