Cultural Correspondent
Centre for Asian Theatre’s (CAT) new production ‘Stalin’ has been premiered at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Segunbagicha in the city. Two more back-to-back shows will be held today and tomorrow at 7pm
. The two hour and forty minute long drama has been directed by travelling thespian Kamaluddin Nilu who previously brought Amputation, Senapati, The Communicator before Dhaka audience. Raihan Akhter has translated the drama into Bangla. Shahadat plays the lead role in the drama which holds an elaborate but stark critique of Stalin and his rule.
In the drama Stalin has been figured as a mass legend and an authoritative dictator. According to a facebook post of Center for Asian Theatre in their drama Stalin is an immense shadow that continues to darken the world even after his demise. In this play, the Soviet history can be found in its looks, flavor and mind-set. The complex power circles woven by many rulers of the first communist republic for strengthening their footholds by means of sycophants and how these opportunity seekers became parasites for their founder Stalin has been depicted in the drama.
They shattered his dreams, isolated him from the general population and for covering their violations they kept on murdering his character time and again after his demise. Stalin has passed on, yet his shadow still dictates us.
Other actors of Stalin are-Sabina Sultana, Raihan Akhter, Subrata Prasad Barman, Morjina Munna, Mezbaul Karim, Mohammad Rafi Sumon, Shaon Kumar Dey, Chinmoyee Gupta, AK Azad Shetu and more. Centre for Asian Theatre was founded in 1994 and has been bringing modern dramas along with folk and traditional dramas on stage.
