Department of Theatre of Jagannath University staged 'Janani Shahashika' on May 17 at Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Segunbagicha in the city. The drama is based on German playwright Bertolt Brecht's anti-war drama 'Mother Courage and her Children'. The drama is epic in genre where Bertolt used to draw attention to the theme of his plays rather than the characters for the general viewers. Sanjeeb Kumar Dey, lecturer of Theatre at Jagannath University has directed the drama translated into Bangla by Kabir Chowdhury. The second session of the department for the year 2014-15 produced the drama as part of their third year final exam assignment. It was premiered in the university auditorium on May 4.

Janani Shahashika tells the story of Anna Fierling who sells food and other necessities on a cart to soldiers. She serves in the Swedish camp during a prolonged war in the 17th century Europe. During the course of the war she loses all her three children- eldest son Eilif, daughter Kattrin, and the youngest Schweizerkas or Swiss Cheese. By the end of the play she is only left with her cart as her only 'living' part from the family. Thus the tides of the war move along with the tides of Anna's life.

Actors of the play are Mazed Ahmed, Imrul Kayes Munna, Syeda Kazria Rahman, Lalita Rai, Tania Sultana, Md Enamul Hasan Kawsar, Akash Sarkar, Imran Habib, Sreyoshri Sarkar, Imran Hossain, Md Ahsan Habib, Mahfuzar Rahman, Shah Muhammad Taz and more.