‘Trial of Surya Sen’ to stage special show tomorrow

Dhaka Padatik will stage a special performance of its acclaimed play Trial of Surya Sen tomorrow, marking the martyrdom anniversary of Pritilata Waddedar, one of the prominent women revolutionaries of the anti-British movement.

The special show will be held at 6:30pm at the Dr Neelima Ibrahim Auditorium of Bangladesh Mahila Samiti on Bailey Road in the capital.

The event, organised by Dhaka Padatik in collaboration with Itihas O Oitihya Parishad and cultural institution Tapoban, will also feature a musical performance and an exhibition of paintings by schoolchildren.

The programme will begin with a group song by artists of Tapoban. At the entrance to the auditorium, paintings depicting Pritilata Waddedar, the Chattogram youth uprising, Jalalabad Hill and the Dhalghat battle will be displayed.

Portraits of revolutionaries from Chattogram who were martyred in the anti-British struggle, along with documentary footage from previous performances of Trial of Surya Sen, will also be screened.

Following brief remarks by guests, the play will take the stage. The performance will be open to all and no tickets will be required.

Trial of Surya Sen is Dhaka Padatik's 38th production and tomorrow's show will mark its 47th staging. The play revolves around the farcical trial and execution of Masterda Surya Sen, a key figure in the anti-British movement in the Chattogram region.

The play was written and originally directed by Ekushey Padak-winning theatre personality Masum Aziz. Following his death, noted actor and director Nader Chowdhury took over the responsibility of re-directing the production, making necessary additions to its presentation and stage design. He also plays the role of Masterda Surya Sen.

“Trial of Surya Sen is an important historical play based on the anti-British movement. Masum Aziz wrote and directed it. After his death, I re-directed the play, making some necessary additions. I am also playing Masterda Surya Sen,” Nader said.

“Today's generation should definitely watch this historical play,” he added.

Featuring around 40 characters, the play includes Surya Sen, Kalpana Dutta, Tarakeswar Dastidar, Pritilata Waddedar, Ambika Chakrabarty, Nirmal Sen, a British lawyer, Netra Sen and a Bengali lawyer.

Nader Chowdhury, Mahbuba Haque Kumkum, Monjurul Islam Nantu, Sabiha Zaman, Mamun Ur Rashid, Shyamal Hasan, Akhtar Hossain, Rabiul Islam Milton, Shahnaz Parvin Joya, Tarek Ali Milon, Kazi Samrat, Atikur Rahman, Al Amin Swapan, Sumon Ghosh, Nur, Khaja Huzzatullah and Zahid are among those performing in the production.

Zakaria Kiran is responsible for lighting design, while Abul Bashar Sohel is handling music direction. Shyamal Hasan is in charge of stage management.

The play premiered on January 18, 2018, and has since been staged at home and abroad. It has also had two international performances in New Delhi, drawing appreciation from audiences and theatre critics.

With its historical backdrop, strong dialogue and distinctive stagecraft, Trial of Surya Sen has emerged as a notable producti