Three Plays: Procession, Bhoma, Stale News

by Badal Sircar

Perhaps no other theatre personality has had such a deep and pervasive influence on theatre practice and theory in post-independence india as badal sircar as a writer of proscenium plays in the 1960s, all of which have been widely produced by leading directors in several indian languages; as the pioneer of non-proscenium political theatre in the 1970s; as the mentor of countless directors and theatre activists who have carried his ideas to far corners of the country, his work is an integral part of contemporary indian theatre history in procession, sircar recreates the city of calcutta with its slogans and demonstrations and rallies, too often losing their human focus in bhoma, a sundarban pioneer, one of those who cleared the forests and now starves to death, confronts a city demanding ever more luxuries and comforts at the cost of the majority that continues to be exploited in rural india in stale news, the same ironic design recreates as a model for protest and resistance a tribal r

Genres: Plays

Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Badal Sircar also known as Badal Sarkar, was an influential Indian dramatist and theatre director, most known for his anti-establishment plays during the Naxalite movement in the 1970s and taking theatre out of the proscenium and into public arena, when he founded his own theatre company, Shatabdi in 1976. He wrote more than fifty plays of which Ebong Indrajit, Basi Khabar, and Saari Raat are well known literary pieces, a pioneering figure in street theatre as well as in experimental and contemporary Bengali theatre with his egalitarian "Third Theatre", he prolifically wrote scripts for his Aanganmanch (courtyard stage) performances, and remains one of the most translated Indian playwrights. Though his early comedies were popular, it was his angst-ridden Ebong Indrajit (And Indrajit) that became a landmark play in Indian theatre. Today, his rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s is seen as the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Bengali, just as Vijay Tendulkar did it in Marathi, Mohan Rakesh in Hindi, and Girish Karnad in Kannada.
Sarkar was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1972, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship- Ratna Sadsya, the highest honour in the performing arts by Govt. of India, in 1997, given by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.
The "Tendulkar Mahotsav" held at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Pune in October 2005, organised by director Amol Palekar to honour playwright Vijay Tendular, was inaugurated with the release of a DVD and a book on the life of Badal Sircar.
In July 2009, to mark his 85th birthday, a five-day-long festival titled Badal Utsava as tribute to him was organised by several noted theatre directors. He was offered the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2010, which he declined, stating that he is already a Sahitya Akademi Fellow, which is the biggest recognition for a writer.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship- Ratna Sadsya, the highest honour in the performing arts by Govt. of India, in 1997.[

Reviews

[Suvankar GRC · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bengali originals are extremely intriguing pieces – whether in content or in structure. They represent the celebrated early phase of the Third Theatre. But these English translation fall rather flat in conveying the the unique theatrical idiom of the Third Theatre, specifically when it can be assumed that these translations were done keeping in mind a non-Bengali readership who might not be as familiar with the vision of Sircar as his Bengali readers.

It might be argued if it is really necessary for translated play-texts to imply the theatrical language to its readers. Well, in case of a form as unique as the Third Theatre (where the text's identity remains in a flux – eternally oscillating between the scripted and the performed), I think it is necessary.

However, the quality of these translations as pieces of literature is assuring.

[Leylamaría · Rating 5 out of 5]

[only read Procession but it was so fucking good]

[anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Procession for class, but it was so masterfully written.

[The Seal Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only read Bhoma, but it was great