Five young directors (Moumita, Nilanjan, Proloy, Rajrakhal and Surojit) adapted for the stage five stories by five prominent Bengali authors to come up with Panchforon, the latest production by Naatokiyo, presented by Dark Studio. Prithiwis Rana, in overall supervision, ensures that Panchforon bears the now-familiar trademark features of the brand, Naatokiyo, such as a large ensemble of actors, a lavish light scheme complemented by elaborate sets (Abhra Dasgupta), and a general proclivity towards generating sensory overload.

Thematically, ghosts and supernatural entities connect the stories, predictably allowing situations of tension to arise between rationality and superstition, science and religion. It is evident that in the stories the trope of the paranormal had been employed to introduce discourses on romance, passion, greed and familial affection. The connecting links in terms of performative treatment, however, are a radio that has a constant on-stage presence and the strategy to use a countrified jamboree as the overarching framework containing the stories; while the radio remains grossly underutilised, the framework with all its loud banter, slapstick, and rude innuendos actually becomes a distraction. It is the live music, performed exceptionally well by the actors, that genuinely secures the five plays into a tight performative whole, rendering the bits of recorded songs quite redundant at times. For reasons known only to the directors, there is a distinct refusal to engage with emotions for a reasonable period of time, so that many human-interest moments are crafted too briefly to have any serious impact, before being washed away by peppy Bollywood song/dance routines. Of all the plays, it is Bhoot Bhagoban with its grandfather/grandson story that comes across as the most emotionally satisfying watch.

Though all the actors perform quite proficiently, Nilanjan, Moumita, Arghya and Proloy stand out, making good use of the opportunities they get. The structure of Panchforon is such that almost all actors flit in and out of their roles and, to their credit, they are quite convincing in the multiple roles they portray.