Virus – A Play Attempt of Badal Sircar Natyacharcha Kendra. Image Courtesy – BSNK
The first play attempt ‘Virus’ of Badal Sircar Natyacharcha Kendra was held at Nandik Conference Hall, Madhyamgram on January 26, 2021. Badal Sircar Natyacharcha Kendra has been responsible for the promotion and dissemination of Angan Mancha Natya Andolan (theatre revolution) for so long. This time they started producing plays directly.
Almost everyone who has acted in this play has been associated with the theatre movement, acting, and drama writing of Angan Mancha for a long time. So the average age of the actors in this play is about 66 years. However, everyone has performed smoothly by removing the age barrier.
The play ‘Virus’ is set in a dialectical context of time. In a situation when the virus is spreading around, panic is spreading even more. A sudden lockdown happened in the country. Migrant workers returned to their home walking miles after miles, some of them fell and died on the way. No food, no transport was available. People were trapped in the house. All protests had been stopped.
Another virus has come to work by showing teeth and nails. They are occupying the human brains, taking possession of the accumulated talents and resources of the people.
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Which was that virus? What does it want?
The answer can be found in this play with the bold presentation of Badal Sircar Natyacharcha Kendra. The disease virus is gradually losing its power. But, another virus is the virus of religious fascism – whose aggression is increasing fatally. The cure for the disease virus has already approached our hand, but in order to prevent the fascist virus, a combined resistance movement is needed. A clarion call has been made in this play.
In the course of the play, the plight of the common people has come to the limelight in the form of COVID Panic. On the other hand, the inhuman mentality and behaviour of the upper-middle class have also come to the forefront. Above all, the COVID situation has exposed how the nefarious connection of the ruling class with the corporates continued to exploit and oppress the troubled people.
In this drama, the situation of plague-stricken India was reflected where ‘Sister Nivedita’ spread bleaching powder on the streets and religious conservatives washed the streets with ‘Ganga Water’. The depiction of superstition has emerged beautifully in today’s COVID situation.
In a word, the play has become a document of a period of small events. In the last portion of the play, a question was uttered targeting a section of people who are disturbing human beings utilizing the opportunity of the disease virus, and the virus of religious fundamentalism that has been creating an atmosphere of violence. The question asked – “Will they not be punished?”
Badal Sircar Natyacharcha Kendra is planning to spread the production among the people everywhere in the villages, in the courtyards of the people.
Contacts – Phone: +91 98310 82851 ; +91 87770 75004 ; +91 90040 05305
Email: bsnkendra@gmail.com
