‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ staged by Alliance Française theatre students

Students of the Friday Theatre School Workshop at Alliance Française de Dhaka staged “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on October 3 and 4.

Directed by Ashish Khondker, the 60-minute English-language production brought the classic German legend to the stage through lively performances, playful humour and imaginative staging.

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The play is based on William Glennon’s dramatisation of the well-known tale, which follows the people of Hamelin as their town is overrun by a plague of rats. With the situation growing increasingly desperate, a mysterious Piper arrives and offers to rid the town of the rats in exchange for a promised reward.

Using the magical tune of his flute, the Piper succeeds in freeing Hamelin from the infestation. However, when the mayor refuses to honour the agreement, the Piper decides to take revenge. He plays his flute once again, this time leading the town’s children away to a place where, according to the story, joy awaits them.

The townspeople are then left to confront the consequences of breaking their promise, giving the production a darker moral dimension beneath its playful surface.

The student production combined humour, drama and fantasy while exploring themes of trust, responsibility and the consequences of failing to keep one’s word. Through its imaginative staging, the workshop students presented the familiar story in a form accessible to audiences of different ages.

The production was part of the theatrical activities of Alliance Française de Dhaka’s Friday Theatre School Workshop, providing its students with an opportunity to bring their training to a full stage production.