A scene from Paer Awaz Pawa Jay.

The eight-day theatre festival titled Theatre in Asia: Asia in Theatre with participation of 25 local and foreign troupes was inaugurated on Sunday at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Professor emeritus Anisuzzaman was present at the programme as chief guest while International Theatre Institute worldwide president Ramendu Majumdar declared the festival opened. ITI director general Tobias Biancone, cultural secretary Suraiya Begum, director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali Lucky and ITI Bangladesh chapter president Nasiruddin Yousuff, among others spoke at the inauguration session.
Funded by the government, the festival has been organised by Bangladesh centre of International Theatre Institute in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The festival is co-sponsored by Samsung Electronics Bangladesh Branch.
Besides 21 local troupes, two Indian troupes and one troupe each from China and United Arab Emirates are participating in the festival.
On the inauguration day, two local troupes- Theatre and Shunyan- and an Indian troupe Aarshi Theatre Group respectively staged Paer Awaz Pawa Jay, Lal Jamin and Medea at the National Theatre Hall, Studio Theatre Hall and Experimental Theatre Hall of the academy.
Written by Syed Shamsul Haque and directed by Abdullah Al Mamun, the production was recreated by talented theatre director Sudip Chakroborty, recently. Set against the backdrop of a remote village, the play zooms on the brutal genocide and physical abuses done by the Pakistani occupational forces and its local collaborators during the War of Independence in 1971.
After the show, ITI secretary general Tobias Biancone handed over a crest to the performers. ‘The brilliant performance of the actors featuring the historic war of independence could even move a foreigner like me,’ he said.
Aarshi Theatre Group staged great Greek tragedian Euripides’ Medea, directed and designed by Abanti Chakraborty, at the Experimental Theatre Hall. In Euripides's play Medea, Jason leaves Medea when Creon, the king of Corinth, offers him his daughter, Glauce. The play tells about how Medea avenges her husband's betrayal.
The protagonist of the monodrama named Medea, a young dejected wife portrayed anguish, deep pains, resistance, inner compulsion in a violence, raw way. Young actress Manisha Adak in the role of the titular in monodrama Medea expresses her frustrations being abandoned by her husband in a psychic manner.
President of Bangladesh chapter of ITI Nasiruddin Yousuff handed over crests to the director and actress and said, ‘Overcoming the limited stage design, props and preparation, the passionate and mind-blowing performance of the actress was praiseworthy.’
Shunyon Theatre’s debut production Lal Jamin portraying a horrific history of the war of independence through the eyes of a teenage girl was staged at the studio theatre hall. Written by Manna Hira and directed by Sudip Chakraborty, Momena Chowdhury performed in the play.