Natyadhara explores dark realities of war in new production

Going beyond conventional theatrical forms, theatre troupe Natyadhara is bringing a new production that explores the aesthetics and experimental language of “Living Theatre”. Titled “Dojokher Shesh Meyeti”, the play will have its inaugural performance at the Experimental Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy this evening.
Drawing on the characteristics of “Living Theatre”, the production seeks to reduce the conventional distance between the audience and the stage, making the theatrical experience more direct, immediate and emotionally engaging. Body language, symbolic acting, the interplay of light and darkness, sound, and atmosphere have been used as key elements of the production.
The central character of the play is Nadia Murad, a young woman from Iraq’s Yazidi community whose life was devastated by extremist violence. After escaping persecution, she became an internationally recognised human rights advocate and a powerful voice for survivors of violence and oppression.
In recognition of her struggle and courageous activism, Murad was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.
However, “Dojokher Shesh Meyeti” is not merely a portrayal of Nadia Murad’s personal journey. The play attempts to explore a range of contemporary crises, including war, state power, fundamentalism, global politics, economic interests, attacks on national identity and humanitarian catastrophe.
According to Natyadhara, Nadia’s story has been presented not simply as a personal biography, but as a reflection of a wider period of history and the crises confronting humanity.
One of the production’s central objectives is to confront the audience with questions rather than allowing them to remain passive spectators. Through its dramatic events and experimental presentation, the play invites viewers to reflect on violence, war and the recurring nature of human suffering.
The final part of the production raises five significant questions: Is Nadia the last girl of the visible and invisible hells of the world? Will the ongoing war be the last war in human history? Is the hell created by fundamentalism the final hell? Is Nadia the last girl of the world’s last hell? And will future generations continue to inherit the consequences of war?
The play is written by Anisur Rahman and directed by Ashish Khandaker. The cast includes Md Kamal Hossain, Fahmida Rahman Trisha, Riad Mahmud, Hafsa Akhter, Md Abdul Aziz, Md Rafiqul Islam, Rahim Parvez, Al Hasibur Rahman, Jahangir Sikder, Imtiaz Ahmed Dulu and Hafsa Mahmud Riddhi.