Sir,
This has reference to the news item’Samooh Theatre stages Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest'(DE, Nov16, 2017).It is heartening to read that Samooh Theatre staged William Shakespeare’s famous play’The Tempest’at Jammu. William Shakespeare is known as a library in himself.So far, he is the greatest playwright the world has ever produced.His plays have universal appeal and have been translated into almost all the major languages and adapted into films.It is one of the last plays written by Shakespeare and its first recorded performance was on Nov1, 1611 before James 1 and the English royal court.
With only 2600 lines and roughly 17,233 words,(as published in the First Folio) it is also one of the shortest plays of Shakespeare.It is a play of magic, deception, revenge and marriage.
The play has immortal characters such as Prospero’s teenaged beautiful daughter Miranda, the enslaved spirit Ariel and the enslaved servant Caliban. It ends with the ringing of marriage bells of Ferdinand and Miranda and freedom to Ariel.The play has enriched English language with quotes such as ‘Hell is empty and all devils are here’, ‘Me, poor man, my library/Was dukedom large enough’,’ Misery acquaints a man with strange bed fellows’ etc Shakespeare has also coined or used such words and phrases for the first time in this play, which include baseless,sea change, eyeball, watchdog,brave new world, in a pickle,melted into thin air,’such stuff as dreams are made on’,etc.
The presentation of such a great play at Jammu is a feast for the eyes and the mind of the local people.Many other plays of Shakespeare have also been presented at Jammu by different theatre groups and this is a welcome addition.All his plays have been warmly received by the Jammuites.The Director and translator of the play as also the cast deserve appreciation for their effort in successful presentation of this play.
Yours etc….
Ashok Sharma,
Housing Colony,
Udhampur.
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