The annual cultural programme of the Gandharbalok Kala Kendra held at Madhusudan Mancha on September 18 was in keeping with the festive season. The evening started off with performances to popular Tagore songs like Kothao Amaar Hariye Jaawa Nei Mana , Poush Toder Daak Diyeche and Aalo Amaar Alo, Aloe Bhuwan Bhara. The dancers however, didn’t do justice to the song Poush Toder. The spirit of gay abandon associated with the song was sadly missing and the movements were stiff. It was followed by a fusion dance Rhythmscape. This was a complete disaster since the filmi jhatkas didn’t go with the music. The saving grace was Om Krishna, a dance-drama depicting the three main stages of Krishna’s life. Directed by Shyamal Maharaj and Gitali Basu Aich, the kaliadaman was innovatively depicted.
Shibani Chattopadhyay
When theatre directors from overseas put up productions in Calcutta, using local ‘talent’ (for want of a better word) expectations run sky-high. This is obvious from the large audience that turns up at such shows. But often these are bad letdowns. American Brian C. Russo’s production of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In The Sun (July 28, Gyan Manch) was marred by the actors’ horrible attempts to imitate African American accents while the motley group of school students in Britisher James William’s production of Brecht’s The Chalk Circle (September 11, Padatik) did not come up to scratch. So what if the cast had less than a week to learn their lines? Evidently that’s all they did.
Dola Mitra
Nrityalok presented Mohua Sundari, a dance-drama based on a tale in the Mymensing Geetikabya at Bharatiyam Cultural Multiplex on September 4. A tragic tale of love and sacrifice, the colourful production reflected finer human sentiments and passions through synchronised group numbers and dramatic sequences. With a combination of different dance styles and lively expressions, a well-trained team under the guidance of Sutapa Awon Pradhan brought out the ethos and culture of the Mymensing district with great care and enthusiasm. The dancer playing Mohua, the young gypsy girl, stole the show with her graceful movements. The interesting stage props added immensely to the production.
Sharmila BasuThakur
