First online live performance of 'Kanjus'

At the stay-at-home era, Loko Natyodal (TSC) in partnership with TV Metro Mail, Canada (TMM) has been performing Kanjus; it's most famous play, online live. TMM Facebook page is the spot where people are watching live shows in an intimate setting. The live-streaming of Kanjus which started on July 22, will have its last episode live on Sunday, July 26 at 9pm. 

"We're delighted to be able to live stream Kanjus in five episodes and put a smile on theatre lovers and fans' faces who are locked in their homes," says Emamul Haque, CEO of TMM and the technical director of the play. 

Kanjus, the adopted version of The Miser (French: L'Avare) is a five-act comedy by the French playwright Moliere. Tariq Anam Khan has translated the play into Bangla. This is an exciting experiment by organisers and encourages other theatre groups to live-stream their shows, especially during this pandemic era. In the live streaming, the odd physical gestures and crude humorous dialogues in the dialect of Old Dhaka are the key sources of laughter in the shows. Shows can be watched live on TV Metro Mail's following Facebook page.

Shameem Ahsan, president of Loko Natyodal (TSC), said, "Based on this experiment, enthusiasm of performers and positive feedback from audience across the world, we are now thinking of online live-streaming our other shows."

After the upcoming final show on Sunday, organisers would bring people from the audience on the show live to get their feedback. Loko Natyodal (TSC) alumnus and current members are performing in the shows. Performers from different cities of the world are participating in the show. 'Technical glitches and online rehearsals of the show, when performers live in different time zone, was a real challenge. However, team members commitment and love for theatre helped us to overcome the situation," said Emamul Haque. 

Kanjus is a satire which portrays hypocrisy, greed and opportunistic tendencies of the elite in contemporary societies. The play revolves around Haider Ali, a miser who mistrusts everyone. When a burglary takes place at Haider Ali's residence, the police are called over to look into the matter. However, they demand bribe and Haider offers his cook instead of money. The cook, Kala Miah, has been working for a long time for Haider without any pay. Haider judges everything by its monetary value. He wants his only daughter to marry a man double her age so that he does not need to pay dowry. But he demands dowry when it comes to his son's marriage and prefers that his son marries a widow. The play will be performed using Old Dhaka dialect.  

Mahrur Raihan, Arif Ibne Rouf, Mihir Banerjee, Rubaiat Sharmin Jhara, Alamgir Ratan, Shahadat Hossain Shagor, Sabrina Habib Nipu, Nayeemm Hasn Suja, Nusrat Hossain Rumana, Farida Ahmed Niku, Emamul Haque, Afjoza Hasan Shilpi, Sangeeta Imam Iqbal Jamal Jewel, Ahmed Hossain and others acted in the play.