French drama fest begins Apr 12

By Cultural Correspondent

April 09, 2009

An eight-day French theatre festival begins at the National Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka on April 12.
  The festival is a part of the cultural policy of Alliance Francaise for the promotion of both French art and Bangladeshi talented artistes, said the organisers at a briefing at the Alliance Francaise in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The festival will enable the audience to know more about French classic and modern authors through the rich language Bangla, they said.Alliance Francaise director Saliha Lefevre, festival director Jacques Bounin and festival coordinator Al Nomaan attended the briefing. National professor Kabir Chowdhury is expected to inaugurate the festival at 6:00pm, organised by the Alliance Francaise de Dacca, Natukay Theatre Dhaka and Fame School of Dance, Drama and Music Chittagong in association with the French embassy in Dhaka.

Foreign minister Dipu Moni will also be present at the ceremony as chief guest.France ambassador to Dhaka Charley Causeret, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation chairman M Hamid, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote president Nasiruddin Yousuff and poet Sayed Samsul Haq will also attend the programme. ‘We are going to hold the festival for the second time as the French plays are not only for the French but also for the people across the globe,’ said Lefevre at the briefing.Two noted theatre groups–– one from Kolkata and the other from France–– will also perform during the festival. The organisers will also hold a seminar on ‘Theatre practice in Bangladesh and French drama’ on April 17.Kabir Chowdhury, professor Sayed Ahmed, Ataur Rahman and Ramendu Majumdar will speak on the subject.

After the session, the organisers will accord a reception to Kabir Chowdhury, Sayed Ahmed and late professor Zia Haidar for their contributions to the Bangla literature and theatre by translating and staging French plays in Bangla.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com