Skeletons in the Closet

Dhaka University's Natmondol is not the most glamorous of auditoriums. The seats are frayed and the walls badly need a coat of paint, the stage quite modest in size. But the acoustics are quite good compared to even some of the bigger auditoriums of Dhaka. This particular advantage proves to be crucial in the play 'Shuchona' performed on May 17. In fact the performance by Stage One Dhaka completely overshadows any shabbiness this age-old auditorium could be accused of.
With an all female cast 'Shuchona' has been adapted from 'Shesh Potro' a script written by actor Abul Hayat, originally for a tele-film. The stage version is also written by Hayat. The play is being directed by Rahmat Ali, an actor and professor of the Natyakala department at Dhaka University and designed and choreographed by Dominic Gomes.  The costumes have been designed by Wahida Mallick. Besides the charming Mita Chowdhury, who won the hearts of avid TV drama watchers during the eighties, the cast includes other familiar faces of the small screen - Wahida Mallick, Chitralekha Guho and Naznin Hassan Chumki. Shuchona is produced by StageOne Dhaka and sponsored by Renata Limited.
Four women Tania, Shobita, Shelly and Rasheda – old school friends meet decades after the Liberation war. Their shared past brings them to a house in the country owned by the glamorous Shelly who seems to epitomise the notion of a woman who has 'made it' being married to a doting, wealthy husband and living in the lap of luxury.
The women, now middle-aged, reminisce those carefree school and college days of romantic crushes and childish pranks on teachers and classmates. They dance and sing, gossip and giggle like schoolgirls – reliving a happy past.
The three women Shelly has invited, are all well established in various fields and well known faces in the country. Tani heads an NGO that works for the development and empowerment of women, Shobita is an acclaimed singer and Rasheda a popular novelist.  
But suddenly the exuberance of the four friends change as each of them discloses the travails of their lives.
The stories reveal the trauma each of them have gone through – sexual violence, ostracism, loss of loved ones and betrayal by those they trusted the most. All of them however, seemed to have managed to come out of their tragedy-filled lives stronger than they ever were – finding meaning in their work. Interestingly all have somehow been deeply connected with the Liberation War – either taking active part in warfare, to care for the sick or to motivate people in refugee camps by singing patriotic songs. But their stories are very different from each other, unusual to the point of being bizarre.
Shobita was cruelly deceived by a man and so never married; Tani is the widow of a freedom fighter but suffered rape and torture by a charlatan and had a collaborator for a father-in-law; Rasheda and her child born out of wedlock was given love and recognition by a freedom fighter who married her.

Chitralekha Guho, Mita Chowdhury, Wahida Mallick and Naznin Hassan Chumki in a scene from ‘Shuchona’.

The plot takes an unexpected turn when Shelly, who appeared so far as a gracious host who has brought the friends together, reveals that she is a freedom fighter and a Birangona. She tells her friends how she was sexually abused by Razakars and Pakistani soldiers and then left in an asylum, rejected by her family after she returned. She was then rescued by a man who claimed to be a Muktijodhya. Her blissful marriage, however, turns into a nightmare when she finds out the ugly truth about her husband. It is from here that this seemingly innocuous reunion is strewn with suspense.
The strength of the play, of course, is the group of actors who impeccably recreate the nuances and emotions of these middle-aged women, emotions which will no doubt resonate with many. The natural delivery of dialogue and clever script has the ability to evoke both laughter and tears. Chitralekha Guho plays the role of the happy-go-lucky spinster Shobita with exceptional finesse, changing her expressions from playfulness to sorrow with amazing ease. Obviously trained in music she breaks into song like a professional singer delighting the audience with her melodious voice. The music – mainly familiar scores of Rabindra Sangeet, is the perfect catalyst that helps to simulate the ambience of the play. The props, cleverly placed and minimal – a swing, a few trees, a table with tea things and steps that serve as those seen near a pond – conjure the ideal spot for four friends to catch up and rekindle their friendship.
There may be criticisms regarding the details of the plot – some may find certain parts a little melodramatic. The climax with its intense political message seems a little too hurriedly brought in without enough build up. But if it is something refreshing theatergoers are looking for 'Shuchona' has enough elements to keep the audience's attention from beginning to end. The undeniable talent of these four actors, moreover, overrides whatever miniscule flaws in the play. They are evidence of the fact that no visual medium can compare with the thrill of watching a stage performance especially by gifted, seasoned actors.