Shakespeare to brighten up Kolkata’s puja season
Denizens of Kolkata will soak in the Durga Puja festivities in October by celebrating William Shakespeare’s life, work and legacy on the occasion of the bard’s 400th death anniversary. The British Council has tied up with two N TIO FIC community puja organisers — Ahiritola Sarbojanin Durgotsab in north Kolkata, and Ballygunge Cultural Durgotsab Samity in the south of the metropolis — to add a dash of Shakespeare to the biggest festival in this part of the world.
A unique audio-visual experience is in store for visitors to the two marquees, where Internationally commended by Reginald Massey, Fellow of Royal Society of Arts, London, To Each With Love: A Satiric Rendition, Renée Ranchan’s debut collection of short stories, is a delectable literary feast that feeds off biting humour and profound perception of the human psyche, portraying the variant social strata of contemporary India. “The Globe Theatre’s Complete Walk” — an immersive, multi-screen experience with 37 shorts of Shakespeare’s 37 plays — will be shown, British Council officials said here on Wednesday. The 37 specially made ten-minute films have been screened along the iconic 2.5-mile stretch between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge in London.
Each film explores one of Shakespeare’s plays and includes scenes shot in the locations Shakespeare imagined when he wrote them — Cleopatra in front of the Pyramids, Shylock in Venice’s former Jewish Ghetto, Hamlet on the rocks of Elsinore, and so on.
“The Complete Walk is an accessible, interactive way to celebrate Shakespeare’s life, work and legacy and is part of the British Council’s global programme, Shakespeare Lives, celebrating William Shakespeare’s work on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his death in 2016,” said Alan Gemmell, Director Brit- ish Council India. Gemmell, who will be in Kolkata during the Puja and inaugurate The Complete Walk, said: “We hope that Kolkatans, enjoying the bright lights and high spirits of the festival, will enjoy the experience of the films being shown at two very different but equally renowned festivals.” IANS