Guwahati, June 2: Zerifa Wahid Productions, founded in 2007 to promote and stage plays of prominent playwrights, today announced that it will stage an Assamese version of Mricchakatikam, a Sanskrit drama by ancient playwright Sudraka, at Rabindra Bhawan here on June 16, 17 and 18.
The production house has been instrumental in promoting quality theatre in the city and has staged several productions starting with Girish Karnad's The Fire And The Rain, called Agnibristi in Assamese, in the first year.
In subsequent years, Peter Shafter's Five Finger Exercise - Pancharatna in Assamese, Makarand Deshpande's Hindi drama Joke and Girish Karnad's Nagmandala and Wedding Album were staged successfully. Arun Sarma's Napoleon and Purush were other notable plays staged by the production house.
Mricchakatikam was translated by playwright Arun Sarma before his death. It was his wish to see the play staged in the city but he did not survive to see it turn into reality. According to Zerifa, the dates for staging the play were fixed before Sarma's death on March 28.
It is a 10-act Sanskrit drama known to have been penned by Sudraka, an ancient playwright thought to have lived sometime between third century BC and fifth century AD. He is described in the prologue as a Kshatriya king who lived for 100 years. The play is set in the ancient city of Ujjayini during the reign of King Palaka near the end of the Pradotya dynasty.
The story is that of a noble but impoverished young Brahmin, Charudutta, who falls in love with a wealthy courtesan, Vasantsena. The story is filled with romance, comedy, intrigue and a political sub-plot detailing the overthrowing of the city's despotic ruler by a shepherd.
Unlike other classical plays in Sanskrit, this one does not deal with the epics or mythology. The characters are drawn from real life like gamblers, courtesans, thieves and peasants who speak Prakrit or the language of the people.
"It is a very difficult play and around 37 actors will depict different characters. All the characters are important. We are doing extensive rehearsals. The dialogues, written so long ago, are still relevant. One dialogue which impressed me reflects the moral degradation of society because of materialism, a fact that is so true today," Zerifa, who will play the role of female lead Vasantsena, said.
She also rued the lack of auditoriums in the city and other towns of the state.
The play is being directed by Abinash Sarma while Kapil Bora will portray the male lead, Charudatta.
