Hamlet (Mallik, 2016)

Hamlet

A modern topical adaptation of Hamlet by William Shakespeare was directed by Dr. Nilanko Mallik and performed by Shakespeare Youth Performances (SYP) at CLT Aban Mahal, Dhakuria, Kolkata, West Bengal, India on 29th of December 2016, Thursday, at 6:00pm.

About SYP Hamlet 2016 (from Announcement made before the start of the drama)

“We welcome all of you who have come to watch our performance of Hamlet. Before we begin the play, let me ask you one question – what is the title of the play? Well, some of you know it – Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark. So it is. But does that mean that Hamlet belongs to Denmark? This is where we like to differ. In our production, we have made the setting Indian – rather, Kolkattan, so to speak…we don’t have kings and queens now, but we did have zamindars and now, we do have an ever- growing economically elite class in the Bengali society.

This is a production which shows Bengali families being beset with one tragedy after another. No, don’t worry, this is not going to be the plot of a mega serial – it will be Hamlet – told with all the mighty lines of Shakespeare, but in a Bengali setting. That’s right – this is a Bengali adaptation of Shakespeare, but not a bangla version of Shakespeare, as the lines are the bard’s.

[Curtain rises. In the following paragraph, spotlights will fall on the characters as the announcer mentions the names].

We enter the lives of two Bengali Christian families – one, a rich Bengali landlord, and the other, the tenants. Both of them enjoy a good relation. But the people are not without troubles. The head of the family – Hamlet the Senior, has just died and his brother – Claudius – is now the head of the family. Quite to the shock of everyone, he marries his brother’s wife – Gertrude, which makes Hamlet, the son, disgusted, and confides his feelings to his best friend and neighbour – Horatio. Claudius is not happy in becoming the head of the family – he is pestered by a relative – Fortinbras – who has a dispute regarding the property. Hamlet finds happiness in the daughter of the tenant. Ophelia, the daughter, loves Hamlet, but the father, Polonius, and the brother, Laertes, feel Hamlet is toying with her and are worried about Ophelia. However, situations really become intriguing when the guard sees what he feels to be the ghost of the former head of the family.

Without giving more spoilers, let’s enter their lives, shall we?”

Photos taken by Swapnil Karmakar, official photographer for SYP.

Poulami Nag, introducing the play.

Picture showing the two families. From left to right: Horatio, Hamlet, Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, Laertes, Ophelia.

Polonius (right) advising to Leartes (middle), with Ophelia (left) looking amused.

Hamlet (right) greeting Rosencrantz (middle) and Guildenstern (left).

Nunnery Scene.

Scene from Play within a Play. Centre light shows Player 1 (as King) and Player 2 (as Queen).

Scene from Play within a Play. Centre light reveals Player 3 (Lucianus, nephew to Player King),with Claudius looking on from behind.

Hamlet chides Gertrude (Queen’s closet scene).

Ophelia’s funeral scene, with a Gravedigger and Hamlet holding a skull.

Last scene – the fight between Laertes (left) and Hamlet (right) with others watching.

Cast

HAMLET – Srijeet Sarkar, Son of Hamlet the Senior, and nephew of Claudius

CLAUDIUS – Agnibha Bandyopadhyay, A rich landlord.

GERTRUDE — Srayashi Ghosh, Wife of Claudius and Mother to Hamlet.

GHOST of Hamlet’s Father – Arijit Ghosh

POLONIUS – Swagato Kabiraj, The father of the tenants living under Claudius

LAERTES – Debdut Hore, Son of Polonius

OPHELIA – Anupama Das, Daughter of Polonius

FORTINBRAS, Sagnik Bagchi, A relative of Claudius, in dispute with property.

HORATIO – Rittik Patra, A neighbour and good friend of Hamlet

ROSENCRANTZ — Subhabrata Dutta,

GUILDENSTERN — Avradip Parui, Friends of Hamlet

BERNARDO – Niloy Ghosh, Gateman/Guard

Priest – Archik Guha

Player #1 Arijit Ghosh

Player #2 Kasturi Banerjee

Player #3 Kaustabh Adhya

Gravedigger – Sattwik Dey

Crew

Live Music (Synthesizer): Kaustabh Adhya
Recorded Music and Sound: Sagnik Bagchi
Announcer: Poulami Nag
Prompt: Archik Guha, Arijit Ghosh
Curtain: Sayantan Ganguli
Lights: Neelarun Mukherjee
Sets: Kasturi Banerjee, Sattwik Dey; Poulami Nag, Arijit Ghosh
Floor Management: Kisholaya Majumdar

Photographer: Swapnil Karmakar
Lights and Sound Arrangement: Ashok Adhikary and team

Music Scores – Recorded

1. Sicilienne – composed by Fauré
2. Hamlet Theme Music – composed by & © Nilanko Mallik
3. Sad Violin – composed by unknown, available publicly on YouTube
4. Ave Maria (with Piano) – composed by Schubert
5. Tambourin – composed by Rameau
6. Excerpt from Tempest Sonata, 1st Movt. – composed by Beethoven
7. Air – composed by Bach
8. Prelude in C – composed by Bach
9. In Stealth – composed by & © Nilanko Mallik
10. Lacrimosa, from Requiem – composed by Mozart
11. Dies Irae, from Requiem – composed by Mozart
12. Excerpt from Introit, from Requiem – composed by Mozart
13. Excerpt from Introit, from Requiem – composed by Mozart
14. Canon in D Major – composed by Pachelbel

Live Music

1. Spooky Theme – composed by & © Nilanko Mallik, performed by Kaustabh Adhya
2. Hamlet sees Ghost – composed by & © Nilanko Mallik, performed by Kaustabh Adhya
3. Crafty Manipulations – composed, ©and performed by Kaustabh Adhya
4. Sinner Repentant – composed by & © Nilanko Mallik, performed by Kaustabh Adhya
5. Hamlet chides Gertrude – composed by & © Nilanko Mallik, performed by Kaustabh Adhya
6. Theme in C – composed by & ©Nilanko Mallik, performed by Kaustabh Adhya
7. Transition Music – composed, © and performed by Kaustabh Adhya

Photos taken by Swapnil Karmakar, official photographer for SYP.

Director, Dr. Nilanko Mallik, addresses the audience after the show, with actors looking on.

Curtain call – SYP Hamlet 2016, The Team.

Front centre: Dr. Nilanko Mallik (director)

Team members from left to right: Neeralun Mukherjee (lights), Archik Guha (priest and prompter), Kisholaya Majundar (videography and floor management), Avradip Parui (Guidenstern), Subhabrata Dutta (Rosencrantz), Niloy Ghosh (Bernardo), Rittik Patra (Horatio), Srijeet Sarkar (Hamlet), Srayashi Ghosh (Gertrude), Arijit Ghosh (Hamlet the Senior and Player King), Agnibha Bandyopadhyay (Claudius), Swagato kabiraj (Polonius), Anupama Das (Ophelia), Debdut Hore (Laertes), Kaustabh Adhya (Live music and Lucianus), Sagnik Bagchi (recorded music and Fortinbras), Kasturi Banerjee (Player 2), Sattwik Dey (Gravedigger), Sayantan Ganguli (Curtains), Poulami Nag (Announcer).

About Shakespeare Youth Performaces

• SYP Facebook page
• One page handout about SYP
• SYP Website

Special thanks to Dr. Nilanko Mallik, the founder-director of Shakespeare Youth Performances, for providing details and photos for the 2016 SYP production of Hamlet.