Songs of Hawkers: A theatrical bazaar of comedy
A lively tribute to street hawkers, ‘Songs of Hawkers’ blends comedy, music, and audience interaction to create an immersive theatrical experience
The spotlight in Shilpakala's Experimental Theatre Hall lands on a doctor with a bottle of medicine in his hand. He claims to have the cure for any ailment under the sun. He calls out to the crowd, eagerly searching for his next buyer.
One member of the audience yells out that he needs medicine for urination problems. Another shouts that he needs money. But when another member of the audience exclaims, "I need a girlfriend!"—the entire crowd doubles over in laughter.
The doctor-cum-entrepreneur tells everyone to meet him outside the venue, and for a little extra money, he can solve all their problems.
Needless to say, everyone bellowed in laughter, as they had for the whole duration of the comedy play, 'Songs of Hawkers'.
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The play, organised by Alliance Française de Dhaka and directed by Zazie Hayoun, is a tribute to street hawkers told through three stories—'The Secret', 'The Thief Rewarded', and 'The Competition'. With a total of two performances in two days, the play's final show took place on 21 March.
Even though the show was scheduled in the midst of peak hour during Ramadan at 3.30 PM, and even ran on for a bit longer than the one-hour duration, the turnout was quite impressive, filling up well over half the seats.
The seats were occupied by people from all walks of life and 'Songs of Hawkers' seemed to be the perfect family experience for everyone.
One of the aspects of hawkers the play focuses on is the interactions and experiences hawkers bring to a community. The play brings that same experience to the theatre by breaking the fourth wall, often interacting with the audience members by trying to sell medicine and shoes to them.
As a result, it didn't feel like the audience was just laughing at a performance—they were laughing with them, it felt more engaging.
In one particular scene in 'The Secret', a girl is seen carrying her old mother through the darkness, telling her to stay strong till they reach the doctor. Seeing the scene, one of the children from the audience called out for their mother in fear.
These spontaneous, unscripted interactions from the audience made the experience even richer, and a lot more funny. It almost felt like there were a few paid actors among the audience itself.
The play divides the narrative into three stories, ensuring an engaging performance from start to finish. This structure not only maintains the audience's interest but also prevents lengthy exposition-heavy acts that could take away from the comedy.
Through multiple storylines, the play keeps the humour sharp and the pacing lively.
Another interesting aspect of the playiss how it combines music and dance into the story. The play had in fact opened with a creative twist—a song that seemed to be a mash-up of the different chants we hear street hawkers yelling out.
The four performers, Imam Hossain, M S Rana, P K Fazal, and Suraiya T Mou, also had to juggle multiple roles throughout the three storylines. It goes without saying that they were able to keep the audience engaged with their energetic performance, never once breaking character.
