Skip to content Skip to navigation

‘An Inspector Calls’ to be staged on Nov 27

By Prantik Deka |

After a long gap, the Assam chapter of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) will present a new Assamese play in the form of ‘An Inspector Calls’ on November 27, 2019, at the Kumar Bhaskar Natya Mandir, Uzanbazar, Guwahati, for the theatre lovers of the State.

IPTA, which has worked for the development of humanity through culture since 1947, has produced a number of famous plays like ‘Xunali Dhanani’, ‘Seujia Kuhipaat’, ‘Tofaan’, ‘Navaprabhat’, ‘Sapasalor Seka’, etc, and many shadow plays like ‘Poharaloi’, ‘Amar Jatra’, ‘15 Augustor Ahbaan’ and ‘Tirut Singh’, which were unanimously praised by the masses. Hemango Biswas, the founder secretary of the Assam chapter, worked with some of the prominent personalities of the state such as Jyotiprasad Agarwala, Bishnu Prasad Rabha and Dr Bhupen Hazarika among others in its early period. The golden period of IPTA, from 1952 to 1962, coincided with the golden days of Dr Bhupen Hazarika's musical career.

‘An Inspector Calls’, a play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, was first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945, and made its English debut at the Old Vic, the following year. As one of Priestley’s best-known plays, ‘An Inspector Calls’ has been hailed as a classic of mid-20th century English theatre. The play has been adapted into Assamese by none other than Natasurjya Phani Sarma. The three-act drama which takes place on a single night, focuses on a prosperous upper middle-class family, who live in a comfortable home in a fictional town of the State. The family is visited by a man calling himself Inspector Parasuram Kakoti, who questions the family about the suicide of a young working-class woman in her mid-twenties.

Long considered part of the repertory of classic ‘drawing-room’ theatre, the play has also been hailed as a scathing criticism of the hypocrisies of capitalist society and as an expression of Priestley's socialist political principles. The play has an impressive cast comprising of noted Assamese film actor Alok Nath along with Mrinal Das, Priyanka Sarma, Queen Hazarika, Hemanta Debnath, Sameer Jyoti and Jayanta Gogoi. Directed by filmmaker Prodyut Kumar Deka, the other associates are Namrata Datta (Art), Sudeepta Sarma Bharali (Music), Puna Kalita (Lights), Babi Chakrabarty (Make Up), Dhanjit Das (Design), etc. The cast and crew are currently devoting much of their time, energy and talent to the challenge of recreating this thrilling, classic tale. The entry for the play is free for all theatre lovers.

 

Add new comment

Random Stories

Congress demands CM’s resignation

30 Sep 2020 - 4:35pm | AT News
Guwahati: State Congress staged dharna in Dispur on Wednesday demanding Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s resignation alleging his involvement in the recent test for recruitment of police sub...

Senior citizens felicitated at Nazira

18 Apr 2013 - 12:32am | SK Hasan
On the occation of Assamese New Year, the Freelance Journalist Association of Nazira felicitated senior journalist Biren Sharmah, Social Worker Syed Md. Monsur and eminent literature Durlov...

No respite for APSC scam accused

11 Dec 2017 - 1:01pm | AT News
NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court has turned down the anticipatory bail petition of Nishamoni Deka who has been escaping the police in connection with the notorious APSC scam. A division bench of the...

No politics further: Hussain

7 Feb 2014 - 10:34pm | AT News
Opposition consensus candidate Haidor Hussain said that he would further refrain from active political party.After his defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls on Friday, he told reporters in Dispur that his...

Other Contents by Author

New short film Not My Thing released

Women’s participation in the work force has increased over the years, yet, a healthy percentage of the female employees have also had to constantly endure sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of their employers, leading to an oppressive environment in the workplace. Many women prefer to suffer silently over the injustices committed against them, out of fear of losing their jobs. At times, when they do speak up, they are often met by apathetic superiors and colleagues.  A healthy public awareness about the issue of sexual harassment may, perhaps, help prevent its recurrence, which prompted Partha Bharadwaj to produce an Assamese short film - ‘Not my Thing’, that celebrates the...

Natasurya Drama Fest Concludes Successfully

Without doubt, this year’s Natasurya Drama Festival has turned out to be the most outstanding one since its inception. The 23rd edition of the event, organised by Natasurya Memorial Celebration Committee in association with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Assam, from August 1 to 7, treated the audience to a weeklong theatre festival at the Sri Sri Madhab Dev International Auditorium and Srimanta Sankaradeva International Auditorium, Kalakshetra, Guwahati.  I was highly impressed with the quality of plays this year, distinguished by their singular artistry and aesthetics. One could notice a sea of change and obvious professionalism in the use of sound, make-up, costume and...

Short film: Kio Eman Humoniyah

A new short film 'Kio Eman Humoniyah', inspired by real life stories of people who have succumbed to drugs, depression and alcoholism, has been creating waves in social media. Directed by Prasant Saikia of ‘Rum Vodka Whisky’-fame, the musical takes a look at the epidemic of addiction in our society where a lot of young people are overwhelmed by drug and alcohol addiction, resulting in severe anxiety and panic attacks.  The film emphasises on the importance of compassion and fellow feeling. Many lives can be saved if we pay heed to the quiet whispers of those who are suffering and those struggling to liberate themselves from the grip of addiction. It is those very affected who...

Rebel filmmaker Shankar Borua

Shankar Borua is an independent filmmaker from Assam who has continued making cinema with a distinct sensibility and incorporates the voices of the many communities that make up the State. Even though you never went to film school, what inspired you to pursue this line of writing as well as directing indie films? My initial foray into the world of motion pictures began, I believe, when I was a little boy growing up in my hometown Duliajan in Upper Assam. My father, active with the Duliajan Film Society, back in the seventies, would have us kids watch wildlife movies playing off a 16mm projector at home. The cans, the screen, and the projector would occasionally be parked at our residence...

D Day for Piano Kids

GUWAHATI:            The State’s leading music institute Piano Kids celebrated its sixth anniversary with an evening of exhilarating piano music performed by a group of talented youngsters in chic costumes at the Pragjyoti Cultural Complex, Machkhowa, Guwahati, on April 6. The combined musical energy of these kids truly lived up to the expectations and interests among music aficionados. The musical programme, designed and directed by renowned piano maestro Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami, was titled ‘Night Of The Little Pianists 2018’.             After a welcome speech by Dr Pradip...

Sattriya rendering towards perfection

Recently, the audience at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra’s Sri Sri Madhabdev International Auditorium were treated to an evening of Sattriya Oja pali - 'Sampurna Apaal Poda Gowa', which was enacted for the first time by an all-female troupe, led by the versatile Sattriya exponent Kashmiri Hazarika Kakati, in the august presence of eminent scholars, gurus and danseuses, including renowned danseuse and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh. Presented by Krishnam, the evening also saw the presentation of the Mahapurush Sri Sri Sankardeva-Sri Sri Madhavdeva Award 2017.             On the occasion, Dr Mansingh, highly impressed...

III Smoking Barrels set to premier at German Film Fest

After a very successful World Premiere at the 38th Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, Sanjib Dey’s debut feature film ‘III Smoking Barrels’ is all set to have its European Premiere in the International Competition section of the 66th International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg, Germany, on November 12, 2017. It is one of the biggest and oldest film festivals in the World that screens the works of first time filmmakers. During its history, the debut feature films of legendary directors such as Satyajit Ray, Francois Truffaut, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Lars von Trier, Fateh Akin, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Jim Jarmusch among others were showcased at this prestigious...

Curiosity Shop opens in theaters

The tag line of the film says it all, "A father, a daughter, and a book store...The Curiosity Shop". Independent filmmaker Shankar Borua's widely anticipated new film The Curiosity Shop opens in movie theaters in Assam on November 3, 2017. Starring Upamanyu Boruwa, Debasmita Borgohain (as Hope, the adopted daughter in the movie), Anupjyoti Choudhury, Krishna Sarma, Ribhu Ranjan Baruah, Stuti Choudhury, Imtinaro Longkumer, Bidisha Kashyap, Sumi Borah, Satya Doley, and Bhargavjyoti Bora, among many others, The Curiosity Shop is an unusual narrative with very pertinent and potent thematic considerations centering around the adoption of a girl child as well as the abuse of women, particularly...

Drawing on an array of talent: Prodyut Baruah

A gifted songwriter-composer, Prodyut Baruah shot to fame when his title track for Prastuti Parashar’s serial ‘Bindash’ on ​​Channel ​Rang ​became ​very popular. Before he​ met with his new found fame and success, Baruah, who graduated from Guwahati Commerce College and holds an MBA from All India Management Association in Kolkata, was working in a corporate house for four years. Drawing on his array of talent - as a lyricist, composer and background musician, Baruah quit his lucrative job and took music as his full-time profession ​since​ 2010. Prodyut made his debut as a composer-lyricist in ​‘Porichoy’, ​​the album ​which introduced popular singer Vreegu Kashyap to the music scene....

Music in the relics

The Koch dynasty, established by Maharaja Biswa Singh, and expanded by King Naranarayan and Bir Chilarai in the 16th century heralded a golden chapter in Assam’s history. Every year, the State celebrates the birth anniversary of Chilarai, also known as the ‘Kite King’ due to his likeness to a kite in his swiftness of movement on the battlefield. The government has also been conferring Bir Chilarai Award every year since 2005, honouring persons displaying rare courage and bravery. Despite his glorious achievements, Chilarai has remained largely neglected in the present-day society of Assam. We must remember that his glorious reign has also left behind a large number of cultural relics of...