[Reader-list] Premiere of a Documentary Film on S.H. Raza, New Delhi/ The Shakespeare Society presents play "Othello", March 9-10, 6:45pm

[rohitrellan at aol.in]

Premiere of a Documentary Film on S.H. Raza

Time: Wednesday, March 16 · 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location    : Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

Lalit Kala Akademi
New Delhi

Cordially invites you to attend the premiere
of a documentary film

S.H.RAZA: THE VERY ESSENCE
from the series of "Living Legends of Indian Contemporary Art"
Directed by Laurent Bregeat

in presence of
S.H. Raza

on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 at 6.00 p.m.

at Kaustubh Auditorium,
Rabindra Bhavan, 35, Ferozeshah Road,
New Delhi-110001

R.S.V.P.: 011-23009200

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The Shakespeare Society at  St. Stephen's College presents play
"Othello", March 9-10,6:45pm


About the Production

When Dr.  Roy asked some of us to work on Othello as the annual
production, the most important question was: what in Othello would we
enact and then, only then, how will we do that? There were many
interpretations for the play, self assured and theoretically sound they
were, but safely covered within bound volumes (yes, we mean, the notion
of justice, community, race, body, insider-outsider, and sexuality and
more than a dozen other things). Giving life to them on stage,
embodying the conflicts of the texts and interpretations, was a
different, far more difficult task.  Initiated and organized by Mr.
N.P. Ashley, we went for a devising process in which what we said was
exactly in the how of saying it (from acting, lights, music to property
and costumes everything got developed through little platforms of
brainstorming, and, we are told, a lot of it before and outside, as
discussions between the designers on the conceptual aspect). We added
to and subtracted from Shakespeare, a process not as coldly
mathematical as it sounds – for the cast and crew were integral to the
devising (sometimes, quite unaware of their own roles in the process
and almost always lost, more than understandably!). We can’t say who
among us began it or led it, for it has all disappeared into the
collective product by now. It may be that there are no originators,
heroes or villains for any of these. . . .  A play, like life, just is?
  Or is it that every play needs its Iago?   Someone directing its
‘fate’ from within!

For the Othello team,
Tanima Sharma and Rajiv Naresh.

The Play

Desdemona, the daughter of the Venetian senator Brabantio elopes with
the Moor of Venice, Othello the Moor, general of the Venetian state. A
Turkish fleet has been  launched to attack the island of Cyprus, a
Venetian possession and the Duke of Venice appoints Othello as the
general to encounter them. Othello appoints Cassio as the lieutenant,
preferring him over Iago, his ancient or ensign. This angers Iago, who
vouches to Roderigo, a disappointed suitor of Desdemona, that he would
revenge himself on the Moor. The Duke supports the marriage of Othello
and Desdemona and blesses them, (effectively contemporary European
suspicions about a ‘black’ outsider), Othello. Othello and Desdemona,
along with Iago and his wife Emilia arrive at Cyprus, but the Turkish
fleet has perished in a sea storm by then. Othello announces city-wide
festivities to celebrate the victory and Iago uses the opportunity to
egg  Roderigo off to fight with Cassio. Seeing his lieutenant involved
in a street brawl, Othello dismisses Cassio. Iago advises Cassio to
approach Desdemona with the request to amend the relationship between
himself and Othello. Desdemona’s attempt to persuade Othello to take
back Cassio is projected by Iago as Desdemona’s secret lover.. Othello
starts believing Iago but maintains that he needs “ocular proof.” Iago
gets Emilia to give him Desdemona’s hand kerchief which was a gift from
Othello and puts it in Cassio’s chamber. The Duke sends an envoy to
Cyprus, Ludovico, Desdemona’s uncle, asking Othello to return to
Venice, handing over the military charge to Cassio. Desdemona is happy
about returning home but Othello sees this as another instance of her
interest in Cassio and strikes her. Later, seeing Cassio give the
handkerchief to his lover Bianca, Othello is convinced of the
relationship between Cassio and Desdemona. Agitated, he smothers and
kills her. Emilia unravels the conspiracy behind the handkerchief and
realizing his mistake, Othello commits suicide. Iago is identified as
the villain.