Tritiyo Anko Atoeb

Director's Note

The script of ‘Tritiyo Anko, Atoeb’ is of very unique nature. There is probably no other instance in India where the theatre has been used to tell an autobiographical tale directly without any camouflage of a non-personal plot.

The play writer in order to describe elements from his own life splits his self in three different narrators. The actors not only narrate but also sometimes act out bits of the experiences brought forth in the script. This device saves the narrative from falling into boredom and keeps the attraction about the proceedings alive.

While producing such a play, the Director has to be very alert so that the acting style do not degenerate into sentimentality of self-pity on the one hand and do not project the protagonist into the fanciful world of self-glorification on the other.

And last but not the least in the Director’s careful watch over the tongue-in- check humor so that it may not evaporate.

Synopsis

The play starts with something of a prologue where the protagonist, as if in a nightmare, encounters unknown guest. This guest is the assassin that waits for him at this house, in his body to take his life.

The protagonist then starts his autobiography and travels down memory lane. He reminisces about his family and recounts amusing incidents from his boyhood and youth, some of which have gone to hold a decisive influence in building his character. He reveals some of the traumatic experiences which he had to go through along with the rest of his countrymen, mainly the Great Famine of Bengal, the War of Independence and riots during the partition.

The protagonist then moves on to recount the years of his adulthood and all that influenced him in his choice of career. He talks about his passion, his learning experiences and finally talks about the third phase of his life. This phase is when the protagonist shares his experiences with the audience about his failing health and how he copes with the threat of incurable diseases. He faces it all with courage and looks upon death as a friend who will embrace him rather than as a feared enemy. The play ends on a very positive note with the protagonist stating that fearing the end will only take away all the beautiful experiences that we have had so far in our lives.