International presence this winter numbered three, but I missed the Toronto Bengali Drama Group’s play. Epic Actors’ Workshop (New Jersey) and an acting duo of graduates from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London) performed at Baghajatin Alaap’s and Nandikar’s theatre festivals respectively, both depicting the condition of oppressed women in their hour-length productions.
Golam Sarwar Harun and Gargi Mukherjee dramatized Epic Actors’ Workshop’s Nirastra from Mahasweta Devi’s stories, mainly “Draupadi”, employing Bengali and English. Some of the translated dialogue raised my eyebrows; for instance, I heard an actor say “bobcat” (a North American species) when the correct word is wildcat or jungle cat. Harun and Gargi themselves performed the lead roles believably, their accents authentic. However, as co-directors they made the zamindar’s capture look far too easy; no landlord worth his power would let himself go out alone, and he carried a gun, so why didn’t he use it? Their choreography of the troops disappointed the most, with incorrect about-turns and bumbling searches that would only make the hunted roll on the jungle floor in laughter. A shout-out: when does Kolkata get to see Shayok Chowdhury’s Obie-winning Public Obscenities, in which both of them act?
Trained with Master’s degrees from RADA, Federica Ruggieri and Barkha Bahar (daughter of Guwahati theatre couple Bhagirathi and Baharul Islam) work in theatre abroad, mainly Europe. They joined hands to script and enact Unsewn, a magic-realist activist fantasy. Barkha’s character labours in intolerable circumstances in an Indian garments factory making clothes for export. She persuades her co-employees to stitch SOS messages into the labels hoping that buyers find them. One such dress reaches Federica, a victim of domestic violence in London and, when she wears it, an intercontinental hot line opens up between them. But their troubles continue, until both realize the strength of female shakti within. Credited as director, Barkha infuses their novel idea with dynamic physical performances from both that verge on dance theatre, promising greater things to come.
5 January 2025