Week-long theatre extravaganza by eight acclaimed troupes

Guwahati: Theatre lovers of Assam are in for a week-long treat with eight nationally-acclaimed amateur theatre groups from different parts of the country participating in a theatre festival beginning here today.The festival, organised by prominent Guwahati-based amateur theatre troupe `Surjya` as a part of its silver jubilee celebration, would feature theatre groups from New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bhopal and Assam.

The inaugural play of the festival would be Ibsen`s `John Gabriel Borkman` by New Delhi based Vivadi group and directed by NSD Chief Dr Anuradha Kapoor, Surjya`s President and noted filmmaker Bidyut Chakraborty said. The other prominent plays to be staged during the festival is the late Habib Tanvir`s Charandas Chor by his troupe Naya Theatre which is now being managed by his daughter Nagina Tanvir. Kolkata`s Salt Lake Theatre is scheduled to stage `Antigone` in Bengali by Santanu Bose while Mumbai`s `Theatrix` would stage the Marathi play `Ek Rikaami Baaju`, directed by Anirudh Khutwad. An English play `Suit` would be staged by the Chandigarh-based group `The Company` of noted theatre personality Neelam M S Choudhury. The Northeast would be represented by the Manipuri play `Shamandraba Mami` by noted theatre director H Tomba of the Kalakshtra group, Chakraborty pointed out. Assam would be represented in the festival by two plays - one each in Rabha and Bodo language with Goalpara-based Badungduppa staging the `Madaiah Musi` in Rabha by director Sukracharyya Rabha and the Tangla-based `Dapon-the Mirror` staging `Monglee` by director Pabitra Rabha. Internationally acclaimed theatre director Roystone Abel and actor Adil Hussain would also interact with theatre lovers on February 16, Chakraborty said. PTI