Bangla Theatre celebrates Che's 83rd birth anniversary

Yesterday was the 83rd birth anniversary of the Argentine Marxist revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara. To celebrate the anniversary, Bangla Theatre arranged a programme at the Studio Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, on June 13. The programme featured discussion, songs, poetry recitation and staging of the Bangla Theatre production “Che'r Cycle”.
Prior to the show, a brief discussion and cultural programme was held at the lobby of the Studio Theatre Hall. Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age, spoke on the life and accomplishments of Che. Kabir urged people to understand and perceive Che not only as a revolutionary but also as a loving and affectionate individual. Shimul Mustafa and Mahidul Islam recited poems written on Che, while singer Amit Mallick rendered a song, “Havana'r Pothey Pothey”, written by Mamunur Rashid.
“Che'r Cycle” had two shows, back to back, at the Studio Theatre Hall. Inspired by a docu-drama, titled “Maybe Che”, by Asian People's Theatre (Hong Kong), veteran theatre activist Mamunur Rashid wrote the script.
Directed by Faiz Zahir, the play narrates the story of three people -- Ranjan, Soheli and Shubhro -- stranger to each other, who want peace. Their methods of achieving peace are, however, different. The three play eleven different roles that include famed characters from literature and history.
The play zooms in on people who want to discover the spirit of Che within. Che fought for people and inspired them to fight for their rights.
Mamunur Rashid plays Che Guevara and Ranjan (from Tagore's “Rakto Karobi”). Rubli Chowdhury plays three characters, including Soheli (a Bengali rebel) and Aleida Guevara, the wife of Che.
Chanchal Chowdhury plays six roles, including Fidel Castro and a peace-loving young boy, Shubhro.
Faiz Zahir also designed the set, costumes and light. Parimal Majumder and Habib Ahmed Sanjib directed the background music.
Ernesto Che Guevara, commonly known as El Che or simply Che, was born on June 14, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina. He was the eldest of five children in an Argentine family of Spanish, Basque and Irish descent. Apart from being a revolutionary, he was also a physician, author, intellectual, diplomat and military theorist. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, Che's stylised visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia within popular culture. Che was assassinated on October 9, 1967 in Bolivia.

Posted in: