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The third show of the play Vidyasagar was held at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy in Segun Bagicha on the eve of the rain with hailstones in the city on March 29.
   Ishwar Chandra (1820-1891) widely known and respected as Vidyasagar was a philosopher, academic, educator, writer, translator, printer, publisher, entrepreneur, reformer, and philanthropist. He was one of the top architects of Bengali renaissance. His efforts to simplify and modernise Bangla prose were significant. He also rationalised and simplified the Bengali alphabet and type, which had remained unchanged since Charles Wilkins and Panchanan Karmakar had cut the first Bangla types in 1780.
   Ishwar Chandra was honoured with the title ‘Vidyasagar’ meaning ‘ocean of learning’ or ‘ocean of knowledge’ from the Sanskrit college for his excellence in studies. Ishwar graduated from the same college. In Sanskrit, ‘Vidya’ means knowledge or learning and ‘Sagar’ means ocean or sea. This title was mainly given due to his vast knowledge in all subjects which is compared to the vastness of the ocean.
   Aranyak Natyadal in their 46th and latest play ‘Ebang Vidyasagar’, written by Mannan Heera and directed by Mamunur Rashid, presented the life of Vidyasagar partly highlighting him as a social reformer who arranged wedding for Hindu widows and provided education for women in general.
   The Vidyasagar’s immense contribution in developing Bangla alphabets and his initiatives in improving the language by introducing grammar were almost silent in the play which had disheartened many of the audiences who desired to see a complete Vidyasagar by Aranyak.
   In Mannan Heera’s script audience got the colloquial languages of both Kolkata and Dhaka in the dialogues of a single person that broke the rhythm of languages. He also broke the rule of ‘time’ and ‘space’ in producing the play and justified by saying that this was done for art’s sake. But to the people who study Vidyasagar many of the information provided in the play create confusion because of the disarrangement of historical evidences.
   The most interesting part of the play was the presence of Michael Madhusudan Dutt, the famous Bengali poet of 19th century. The playwright deserves special mention for creating a passionate Henrietta, wife of Michael. Unfortunately, the audience’s attention was more drawn to the poet Madhusudan than Vidyasagar. Rubli Chowdhury’s performance in the role of Henrietta touched the audience. She lively presented the uncertainty of life in the family of Michael.
   The image of Vidyasagar, engraved in the mind of audience however, was not visible in the face of Mamunur Rashid. That is why the character in many scenes failed to get empathy of the audience.
   The set, designed by Faiz Zahir and lighting, done by Thandu Raihan was simple but attractive.
   Aranyak played an important role in presenting Vidyasagar on stage because this pioneer of Bengali renaissance is little studied and recalled in Bangladesh.

Madonna has left a Malawian court after a hearing to begin the adoption of a second child from the African country.
   Her application to adopt Chifundo James has been adjourned until Friday, according to a Lilongwe court official.
   A welfare officer speaking anonymously, said the child was now four and that her 18-year-old mother had died shortly after giving birth.
   Madonna has said it is ‘amazing’ to be back in the country where she adopted David Banda in 2006.
   The girl at the centre of the case, whose name translates into English as Mercy, is in the same orphanage that was home to David, who is now three years old.
   Madonna, dressed in a black and white skirt and carrying a straw hat, entered the court of Judge Esme Chombo through a back door and the case will be heard in private.
   The singer has come in for criticism over her plans. David Nutt, spokesman for the Save the Children charity, urged Madonna to think again.
   ‘We don’t want to pick on one individual - any time, any set of circumstances can change,’ he said.
   ‘“But the problem is, very often this is the wrong thing to do, and Madonna tends to make it seem like it’s the answer to everything and all problems, and it just isn’t.’
   But Steven Whitehead from the charity Oasis, which represents families who adopt from abroad, said foreign adoption was a good idea in many cases.

US pop star Lady GaGa has taken the number one spot on the UK singles chart
   for a second week with Poker Face.
   The brash singer, who spent three weeks at number one with her debut single Just Dance earlier this year, held off competition from The Noisettes.
   The London group were a new entry at number two with Don’t Upset The Rhythm.
   US rapper Flo Rida was at number three with Right Round, with Beyonce’s Halo at number four, and AR Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls completing the top five.
   On the albums chart, Ronan Keating kept hold of the top spot with Songs For My Mother, followed by the Kings of Leon at two and Lady GaGa at number three.
   The Pet Shop Boys scored the highest new entry at four with their 10th studio album Yes.

British television ‘lacks the high end of drama’,
   The Wire star Dominic West has said.
   The British actor, 39, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme ‘we do costume drama brilliantly’ but that UK TV was lacking shows like US drama The Wire.
   ‘If you turn on American TV, there’s a huge choice of nothing you want to see and, unfortunately, I think that’s the case here now as well,’ he said.
   The Wire will get its UK terrestrial debut on BBC Two on Monday night.