Hritmancha’s ‘Happy Days’ to stage four shows at Dhaka University

Hritmancha is bringing its solo production of Samuel Beckett’s “Happy Days” back to the Dhaka stage with four performances at Natmandal, the auditorium of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at Dhaka University.

The production will be staged on Friday and Saturday (September 18 and 19), with shows at 5 pm and 7 pm on both days. Monipuri Theatre is the production partner.

Written by Nobel Prize-winning playwright Samuel Beckett, “Happy Days” is a major work of the Theatre of the Absurd. The Bengali translation was done by Kabir Chowdhury.

Subhashis Sinha has adapted and directed the production, while Jyoti Sinha takes on the solo role of Winnie.

The play follows Winnie, a solitary woman who spends her days immersed in routines, memories and dreams. She speaks almost continuously to her husband, Willie, recalling moments from her past while expressing her grievances, desires, and longing for companionship.

In this production, Willie does not appear on stage. His presence is conveyed entirely through Winnie’s words and memories, allowing the performance to focus on her psychological world and her increasingly uncertain sense of reality.

The hour-long production explores loneliness, memory, love, and the human desire for companionship through Winnie’s repetitive daily routine and conversations.

“Happy Days” premiered in Bangladesh in 2019 under the patronage of the French Embassy. The production has since been staged at venues in Bangladesh and abroad.