Production - 04
Chailor Unmaadinee
Play
Le Folle de Chailot
Playwright
Jean Giraudoux
English Translation
Maurice Valency
Adaptation
Kabir Chowdhury
Design & Direction
Ashim Das
First Staged On
12th October, 2004
Alliance Française Chittagong
About the Play
Chaillor Unmaadinee, The Mad Woman of Chaillot is a poetic satire by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in1945, after his death. The play opens with a group of promoters plotting to tear up Paris to unearth the oil that one of them believes to have located in the neighborhood. These grandiose plans come to the attention of ‘The Madwoman of Chaillot’ who is ostensibly insane but is soon shown to be the very essence of practical worldly goodness and common sense. She along with other ‘mad’ woman of Paris and the underdogs of society, thwart the plans of the culprits. One by one, she sends them, lured by the scent of oil and undreamed of riches, into a bottomless pit which opens out of her cellar. This expulsion of the wicked is accompanied by the return of joy, justice and love to the world.
About the Playwright
Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux was a French dramatist who wrote 15 plays, most initially staged by the actor-director Louis Jouvet. Also a prose writer who served France as a diplomat and government official, he served in World War I, was twice wounded, and became the first writer ever to be awarded the Wartime Legion of Honor. His popularity rests on such plays as Amphitryon 38, Tiger at the Gates, Ondine and The Madwoman of Chaillot which was published posthumously. Giraudoux also wrote five novels, the best known being My Friend from Limousine and Bella and numerous short stories. One of France’s outstanding essayists, Giraudoux’s dramatic and narrative style is a rich and inimitable blend of allusive prose, allegory, fantasy and political and psychological perceptions, where he tempered tragic themes with rueful comedy.
Director’s Note
Only if you have love and faith for others and the power of imagination, can you dream of a world of peace and social harmony. Those who have this power, they may focus their energies to destroy the darkness for a better morning. This is what Jean Giraudoux illustrated in his La Folle de Chaillot.
Cast
Md. Habibul Bahar Pappu : The Waiter / Prospector-3
Shekhar Das / Swajan Paul : The Little Man / Policeman / Adolph Bertaut
Abu Taleb Md. Sakib/ : The Vagabond / Professor
Abdul Kader Jitu/
Yasir Arafat/ Zaheed Al Haque : Pierre
Al Nomman/ Rahat Kabir : The Prospector
Shamsul Kabir Liton : The President / Press Agent 1
Mubidur Rahman Sujat : The President / The Baron/ Sewer-Man / Press Agent 1
Utpal Dasgupta : The Baron / Josephine / Lady 2
Rowshan Ara Ruma : Josephine / Lady 2
Najmun Nahar Shenjuti/
Shajeda akter Shaju/Rita Rani Roy : The Street Singer / Flower Girl / Lady 3
Imtiaz Barshon/ Raju Chowdhury
/Abdul Kader Jitu : The Rag Picker / Prospector 2
Bijay Krishna Nath/
Tapos Chakraborty : The Deaf Mute
Tamima Sultana Munmun/
Tazrian Tabassum Poly : Irma
Munna Bhattacharjee : The Shoelace Peddler / Prospector 4
Hasibul Alam : The Broker / Customer / President 2 / Press Agent 2 / Doorman
Sohrab Hiro : The Broker / Customer / President 2 / Press Agent 2/Sewer-Man
Md. Solayman Ripon : Dr. Jardin / Customer / President 3 / Press Agent 3 /Adolph Bertaut
Ankhi Majumder : Countess Aurelia-The Mad Woman of Chaillot
Shekhar Das/
Md. Anisul Islam Sharnil : The Sergent
Andalib Ayesha Azim /
Poly Chowdhury Boby : Mme Constance-The Mad Woman of Passy / Customer /Lady 1
Rehana Kabir/Bondona Borna : Mme Gabrielle-The Mad Woman of Sulpice / Customer
Credit
Set, Light, Costume & Music Design : Ashim Das
Set and Props : Al Noman / Sujat / Tapos
Paintings : Aniket Bhattacharjee
Music : Ripon / Pappu / Rashed / Saimon
Make up : Aniket Bhattacharje / Rahat
Hair-style : Boby / Poly
Production Control : Showmen Rudra / Parvej
Stage Manager : Tilottoma Sengupta