A silent soldier of pantomime

Pantomime is a powerful art medium which has the ability to touch the heart of the audience with silence.

The art form is gaining ground both at the university level and group theatre movement.

In 1995, when Pantomime Movement, a Chittagong- based troupe working to popularise group-performance of mime, launched its journey in the port city, the scene was quite different. There was no pantomime group in the country at that time.

Only individual artistes like Partha Pratim Majumder, Zillur Rahman John and Kazi Mashurul Huda were working on the art form at that time. And they exposed their creativity through their individual performances.  

But Rezwan Razan popularised the group-based performance of pantomime in the country. He is known as the "silent soldier" to young pantomime artistes in the city.

Recently, in a conversation with The Daily Star, Rezwan recalled his journey: "When our troupe was formed in 1995, there were no such group pantomime performances in the country. We had no footing in the group theatre movement or District Shilpakala Academy".

The troupe gained membership in Group Theatre Federation in 2003.

Terming Pantomime Movement a great success, Razan said since its inception, the group has given 2,000 street and stage performances in the country and India. The group also introduced street shows of pantomime which was first of its kind in the country.

Through cultural activist and writer Pradip Dewanjee, Razan became involved with pantomime practice. From the outset, Debangshu Hor, Mainul Shawon and SH Simon and Razan led the group.

Now the organisation has around 25 artistes.

The tacit-presentation of the troupe "Prachay", a popular drama of Selim Al Deen, received praise from the audience. 

"Nasir Uddin Yousuff Bacchu inspired me to make the silent-script," said Razan adding that Dhaka Theatre presents the drama in theatre form.

The outstanding production of the troupe was 'Struggle for Survival' which depicted people's suffering after cyclone Aila. The production of "The Nature, An Innocent Death and Freedom" by the group has also gained much appreciation.

Pantomime Movement has produced a total of seven group based mime-dramas. Razan has directed six of those. No group in Bangladesh staged these numbers of performances alone.  

The group has produced over 30 model-pantomime presentations, most of them directed by Razan.

 "We have begun to lay the groundwork for a pantomime institute in Chittagong. Indian National Mime Institute has already given us its approval," said Razan who also publishes a quarterly magazine named "Pantomime" from Chittagong.

"It is a matter of pride that artistes from home and abroad term Chittagong as the capital of mime," said Razan, sharing his hope that in coming days, the practice of pantomime will increase in the city as well as the country.