Spardha: Independent Theatre Collective staged “Chakriprarthi” (The Applicant), a Bengali adaptation of Harold Pinter’s celebrated short play “The Applicant”, at Spardha Atelier in Gulshan on January 30. The second show, held at 8:30 pm, drew an attentive and engaged audience.
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Originally written in 1959, Pinter’s “The Applicant” examines the dehumanising structures of modern capitalist systems through the framework of a job interview. The adaptation highlights how institutional power often reduces individuals to objects of control in the name of discipline and professionalism.
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Directed by Shanaj Parvin Jonaki, the production retained Pinter’s minimalist aesthetic and dark humour while situating the narrative within contemporary professional contexts. The cast—Riasat Salekin Rittwik, Sifat Nowrin Bonni, Tanvir Ahmed, and Sadia Marium Rupa—delivered measured and restrained performances, effectively communicating the play’s underlying tension.
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Technical elements were intentionally minimal. Set design and props were collaboratively managed by the performers, while music direction by Sifat Sami was used sparingly. The restrained use of sound allowed silence to emerge as a key dramatic device, enhancing the play’s unsettling atmosphere.
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Through its stark presentation and sharp critique of institutional power, “Chakriprarthi” offered audiences a timely reflection on modern work culture and the enduring relevance of Pinter’s theatrical vision.
