‘Invisible Stories’ brings puppet theatre to Shilpakala Academy

"Invisible Stories", an immersive body puppet performance created through a Bangladesh-France collaboration, is set to be staged this evening and tomorrow at 7 pm at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

The production is directed by acclaimed French puppeteer Laurie Cannac and features Dhaka-based performer Farhad Ahmed. Organised by Alliance Française de Dhaka, the performance blends dance, music, and puppetry into a vivid theatrical narrative exploring the supernatural dimensions of everyday life.

According to Cannac, the story centres on two scientists investigating inexplicable phenomena in the bustle of Dhaka. Their rational inquiry soon spirals into a surreal journey that transports them to the mystical depths of the Sundarbans. Drawing on diverse ghost stories and spiritual folklore, the production presents a tapestry of the unseen, woven with elements of faith, fear, and cultural memory.

"Invisible Stories" was developed following more than three months of field research across Bangladesh, during which Cannac collected folk materials and inspiration from various regions, including the Sundarbans. The resulting performance is rooted in the form of body puppetry, in which both human actors and puppets share the stage, often blurring the line between the two.

Cannac, who trained in classical theatre under Niels Arestrup and Alexandre Del Perugia at the Théâtre École du Passage, founded his own company, Grain de Vie, in 1997. The company has since gained international recognition for its emotionally charged, visually rich puppet theatre.

Farhad Ahmed, who has been active in Dhaka's theatre scene since 2012, is associated with Prachyanat and has been working with Jolputul Puppets since 2014. 

In this production, he not only shares the stage but also contributes to the performance's rhythmic and physical intensity, bringing a unique local presence to the international collaboration.

"Invisible Stories" is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Following the Dhaka performances, Farhad Ahmed and production assistant Swati Bhadra are scheduled to travel to France in mid-August, where the production will be presented to international audiences.

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