Tanmoy Sarkar (right) as George and Neha Saraff (left) as Martha in a scene from Baharul Islam?s Hindi adaptation of Who?s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, Feb. 12: Who?s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Not Baharul Islam.

The celebrated theatre personality has just become the first from the state to direct a play ? a Hindi adaptation of Edward Albee?s Who?s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? for the prestigious National School of Drama Repertory Company. Come September, he will take the play on a European tour as part of the NSD series for Western audiences.

The play, which also happens to be the repertory company?s first production of the year, was premiered at Sammukh Auditorium on the NSD campus in New Delhi on Thursday. The fourth and last show was this evening.

Islam chose Who?s Afraid of Virginia Woolf because the repertory company gave him only four actors.

?That is true,? Islam said over phone from the capital, ?but the main reason why I felt compelled to direct Who?s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is its intricate depiction of the different shades of a husband-wife relationship. It is a director?s dream and a challenge to work on any of Albee?s works.?

The screen version of the same play, featuring Elizabeth Taylor, fetched the actor an Oscar.

For Islam, the opportunity to direct a play for the repertory company was the highpoint of his career. ?It is immaterial whether I am the first from the state to be honoured with the responsibility. It is an honour for anyone from the theatre world, considering only a select few are given the chance to be in charge of an NSD Repertory Company production.?

Acknowledged as one of the best in the world, NSD Repertory Company was established by the master himself, Ebrahim Alkazi, to promote Indian talents within the country and abroad.

A member of the National School of Drama?s Class of 1990, Islam was the second recipient of the Manohar Singh award for his vast body of works and continuous efforts to promote theatre in the hinterland.

?NSD is more of a home and I am enjoying my work there tremendously,? Islam said.

Theatre lovers in the Northeast can enjoy Who?s Afraid of Virginia Woolf in March.

Islam mounted the play after 45 days of rehearsals with his cast ? Tanmoy Sarkar, Neha Saraff, Sajjad Husain and Ujjala Barman. Vivek Mishra translated the play into Hindi, while the director designed the sets himself.

Islam?s wife Bhagirathi is an actor, too, and manages the Guwahati-based Seagull Theatre Academy.