Nattyakendra is set to stage its 15th production, Punyah, at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka on Tuesday (18 August).
Written by Badruzzaman Alamgir and directed by Yusuf Hasan Arko, the play will begin at 7pm.
Punyah centres on the fictional village of Kankurgachhi, which is devastated by a violent storm, turning the once-thriving community into a landscape of death and destruction.
As the villagers struggle to make sense of their existence, they become trapped in a complex maze of sin and virtue.
Violence and social prejudice gradually consume the community, while hatred spreads from one settlement to another and eventually across the wider world.
The devastated village and its people’s struggle for survival serve as a metaphor for the challenges faced by humanity as a whole.
One of the play’s key strengths is its ensemble of experienced and emerging actors.
The production features performances by Jhuna Chowdhury, Iqbal Babu, Sangeeta Chowdhury, Kanak and others.
Director Yusuf Hasan Arko has brought together veteran and younger performers in an ensemble that seeks to give the production a distinctive theatrical character.
The production combines acting, lighting, stage design and music to create an immersive theatrical experience.
The organisers describe Punyaha as a significant addition to contemporary Bangladeshi theatre, with the performances expected to keep audiences engaged for more than two hours.
The play will be staged at 7pm on 18 August at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
