The story of 'Dakghar', staged at Sangeet Natak Academy on Thursday night, revolves around the character of Amal who represents a boy seeking freedom from the enclosure of habits and intellectual barriers.

However, what brings life to this adaptation of the Rabindranath Tagore play by seasoned director Kanhailal is the poignant portrayal of young Amal by (Padmashree) Sabitri Heisnam, a veteran in every sense. The multilingual play effectively uses languages, dialects, with music and mime to portray the character's quest for freedom.

To show the plethora of emotions, the play is divided into a quartet of dramatic action comprising Amal in primordiality, his exile, his hope and his dream. Proving that age is no bar for the language theatre speaks, Sabitri puts in a sublime performance to convey the essence of the story through expression and movement.

Performances by supporting cast hailing from different states like Tripura, Assam Manipur speak volumes about the director's ability to bring out the brilliance among his entire team.

Music by Heisnam Tomba succeeds in creating a symbolic feel as does the simplicity of the set designed by Gaurav Barua. 'Dakghar' represented by a small platform placed in the centre of the stage rightly becomes the metaphor for the liberation that the lead character's soul yearns for.

Presentation by a Manipuri group Kalashetra, the play lived up to the expectations of theatre connoisseurs in the true sense.