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Theatre activists said that theatre troupe Batighar Theatre was raising awareness by compelling the audience to question anomalies.

They made the remark on Saturday while attending the inaugural ceremony of a three-day theatre festival organised by the troupe marking its 13th founding anniversary at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Thespian Mamunur Rashid along with the Batighar adviser Alfred Khokon, theatre directors Ashiqur Rahman Leeon, Asadul Islam, Saif Suman and Bakar Bakul inaugurated the festival by lighting candles at the festival stage set up near the Experimental Theatre Hall of the academy on Saturday.

Mamunur Rashid said, ‘We have many anomalies in the society and Batighar is trying to address those issues through their productions.’

‘The troupe portrays social anomalies directly and artistically,’ said Mamunur Rashid, adding that crises in the society are increasing and Batighar has a long way to go.

‘Theatre is a weapon for us to fight against social anomalies and Batighar has increased our strength significantly,’ mentioned Mamunur Rashid.

Asadul Islam said, ‘Theatre productions can enlighten people and bring social changes. Batighar has proved it through its plays.’

Bakar Bakul said, ‘Batighar has created its own identity with its plays. It has taken up theatre practice as social responsibility. I thank them for not turning their backs on society.’

‘I think that Batighar is leading the line-up of political theatre in the country today,’ mentioned Bakar Bakul.

The troupe members entertained the audience rendering songs at the cultural show on the opening.

Arob Rayhan rendered ‘Je Kore Kalar Choroner Asha’ while Saddam Rahman sang ‘Gan Gai Amar Monre Bujhai’, Nusrat Bulty sang ‘Bondhu Aio Aio Re Amar Gogoneri Chan’, Sanjoy Goswami sang ‘Bedhechhe Emon Ghor Sunner Upor’ and troupe members sang ‘Mora Jhonjhar Moto Uddam’.

Following the cultural show, the troupe members held a procession on the academy premises.

Batighar Theatre staged the 36th show of its acclaimed production titled ‘Urnajal’ at the Experimental Theatre Hall on the opening day of the festival.

Urnajal, the third production of Batighar Theatre, has been written and directed by Bakar Bakul.

The play shows the clash between religious bigotry and traditional values. It portrays how religion can be subjected to misinterpretation and can be used to the benefit of extremist outfits by people with dishonest intentions.

Batighar Theatre invited 12 regular audiences as special guests at the show and honoured them with uttarias.

Batighar believes that the audience is the most essential part of theatre. Theatre troupes are continuously working to create new audience, said Batighar Theatre founder Sanjoy Sarker Muktonil, expressing his gratitude towards the audience who are also playing a role in encouraging people to watch theatre productions.

Besides the regular cultural shows, the troupe staged the 22nd show of its 15th production titled ‘Monkey Trial’ on the second day of the festival.

The play, based on Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee’s ‘Inherit the Wind’, has been adapted and directed by Muktonil.

The story of the fictional courtroom play revolves around a fictitious science teacher named Bertram Kates, who is arrested for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution in his class.

Batighar Theatre invited 12 teachers as special guests at the show and honoured them.

The troupe will drop the curtain on the three-day festival with the 10th show of its 16th production titled ‘Bhogoban Paliye Gechhe’ on Monday.

The play has been written and directed by Muktonil and the troupe has invited 12 parents of theatre activists as special guests at the show to honour them for their support.

Founded in 2011, the troupe has garnered a huge response from the audience for its productions, including ‘Parabola’, ‘Himur Kolpito Diary’, ‘Radcliffe Line’, ‘Olikhito Upakhyan’ and others.