By thebengal.in Desk
Kolkata : Rabindranath Tagore’s complex relationship with Bengali public theatre was brought alive through Rangalayer Rabi (Rabi of the Public Stage), a unique theatrical presentation staged at the Amaltas Auditorium of the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The programme was jointly presented by Wanderers Footprints Travel Boutique and Sthapana Santiniketan.
Conceptualised by Prakriti Mukhopadhyay, the production explored Tagore’s engagement with Bengali public theatre through a compelling blend of narration, music, backstage anecdotes and historical insights. The performance drew from nearly 25 stage productions, including Tagore’s original plays as well as theatrical adaptations of his stories, novels and poems that were once performed on the public stage.
The presentation examined how Bengali public theatre of the time, shaped by patriarchal and commercial influences, often failed to embrace Tagore’s artistic vision in its entirety. While Tagore himself remained largely detached from the commercial theatre circuit, he attended performances of his plays and held the acting abilities of public theatre actresses in high regard, acknowledging their artistic excellence.
The concluding segment highlighted the enduring relevance of Tagore’s dramatic works in today’s socio-political landscape, calling for a fresh interpretation of his plays to resonate with contemporary audiences.
The programme featured narration by acclaimed actor, elocutionist and interdisciplinary artist Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee. Musical performances were presented by Pratyush Mukhopadhyay and Prakriti Mukhopadhyay, accompanied by instrumentalists Surajit Das and Nilanjan Sengupta.
Reflecting on the production, Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee said, “This production is a kind of time travel for me. It also reflects the politics of culture in the sociological framework of arts and how Tagore played a pivot.”
