NSD Repertory Co.presents Pushkin's Little BIG Tragedies
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Aleksander Pushkin
Born – 6 June 1799, Moscow.
Died - 10 February 1837, Saint Petersburg.
Pushkin was a 19th century Russian Author and a Poet, considered the
founder of Modern Russian Literature. He blended the Old Slavonic with
vernacular Russian and was the first to use it in his Poetry. With
Romantic contemporaries like Byron and Goethe, his ironic attitude can
be connected to Voltaire’s literature of 18th century.
Pushkin was born in Moscow into a cultured but poor aristocratic
family. His first published Poem was written when he was only 14.
While attending the Imperial Lyceum at Tsarskoye Selo (1811-1817), he
began writing his first major work, Ruslan and Ludmila (1820), a fairy
tale in verse. It was based on the Russian folk-tales. In 1817, he, at
the office at St. Petersburg got associated with members of a Radical
Movement who later participated in the Decembrist Uprising in 1825.
Several of his liberal friends, involved in the affair were hanged or
exiled for life to Siberia, but Pushkin remained absent at the time of
the insurrection. In May 1820 Pushkin was banished because of his
Political Poems, among them 'Ode to Liberty.' In a mild exile to
Ekaterinoslav he discovered the poetry of Lord Byron.
Even in exile Pushkin continued to write, gradually becoming the leader
of the “Romantic Movement”, during which he wrote Evgenii Onegin(1823).
The character Tatiana, in the concerned novel, has been regarded the
ideal of Russian Womanhood. Pushkin's great Historical Tragedy, Boris
Godunov based on the career of Boris Fyodorovich Godunov, the Czar of
Russia, was published in 1831.
Later to 1824, the new Czar, Nicholas I, allowed Pushkin to return to
the capital. There he openly abandoned revolutionary sentiments. In
1830 he visited Boldino, where he suffered of Cholera. This was a very
productive literary period when he wrote The Avaricious Knight, Mozart
and Salieri, The Stone Guest, The Feast During the Plague etc. The
Queen of Spades (1834), his most famous short story, was later made
into an opera by Tchaikovsky.
Many of his writings were published posthumously due to repressive
censorship. He believed that the overwhelming use of French by the
upper classes delayed the progress of Russian Literature. The tendency
to idealize natural state of life both in work of James Cooper and in
political discussions in the US, were portrayed in his essay “Dzhon
Tenner" (1836).
During his last years Pushkin started a Historical Work on Peter the
Great, which was left unfinished. He got married to his love Natalya in
1829, but the marriage was unsuccessful as his wife’s affair with
Georges d’Anthes brought voids in the relation. The scandal never got
over and Anthes fired his shot at Pushkin. On 10 Feb. 1837, he was
buried secretly by the Czar in a monastery near Mikhailovskoyet.
About The Play
Aleksander Pushkin used the word "little" to emphasize the meaning of
tragedy while exploring the possibilities of the manner in which art
develops as a part of conflict, with the simultaneous process of
dramatic action from beginning to end. The cycle of Little Tragedies
was created by Pushkin in two weeks during the Boldinsky 1830’s, which
is believed to be one of the most creative and fruitful times in terms
of his creativity. This included plans for Mozart and Salieri, The
Stone Guest and The Feast during a Plague all aimed at creating tragedy
within the framework of an ideological artistic unity. The moral and
philosophical content of the last tragedy directly and publicly raises
questions on the meaning of life; sums up and generalizes the analysis
of intimate human passions to a broader context.
Mozart and Salieri treats the tradition of Antonio Salieri's envy of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's effortless art and the injustice of Nature in
dispensing her gifts. Salieri is speaking to himself. He is too weak to
oppose destiny and has already been chosen as an instrument to stop
Mozart, whose behavior is seen to be a disgrace rather than enrichment
to the field of artistic expression. Salieri believes that Mozart’s
being alive will be threat to the genre of music. He compares him to a
cherub from paradise who has flown down to earth to raise wingless
desires in people and whose departure should be facilitated at the
earliest. Knowing that Beaumarcha is a friend of Salieri’s, Mozart asks
him if he had poisoned someone; he adds that Beaumarcha was as much of
a genius as Salieri and that genius and villainy/evil never co-exist.
Mozart is convinced that Salieri is incorrect in his conclusions. At
this point, even as Mozart raises a toast to harmony, Salieri poisons
to his glass.
The Stone Guest is a variation of the Don Juan theme. Don Giovanni is
hiding in a cemetery where there is a monument to the Commander who he
had killed on an earlier occasion. He is waiting for Dona Anna, the
widow of the Commander and is dressed as a monk so that she cannot
recognize him.
When she finally arrives she suggests that they pray together but Don
Giovanni refuses saying that he is not fit for such honors. He reveals
his true identity and admits that the monk’s disguise is only a means
to allow him, access to her. He also swears his passionate love for
her. On hearing this Donna Anna is shocked and refuses him while
telling him that as a widow she could never entertain such feelings and
that she would die alone without ever dishonoring herself. Don Giovanni
begs Donna Anna to reconsider him but she refuses.
The Feast During The Plague is a translation of a scene from John
Wilson's The City of the Plague. In the midst of a feast, a Young Man
calls for everyone to remember and raise a toast to one of their
friends, Jackson, who recently died from the plague. Walsingham,
however, stops them and calls for a moment of silence instead. He then
requests Mary to sing something sad before the merriment resumes. She
agrees and he is touched by her song.
Louisa on the other hand, thinks that Mary is just trying to manipulate
Walsingham by playing on his emotions. He thanks Mary for her song and
guesses that the plague must have once visited her land as well, which
would explain the pain in her voice as she recalls moments and memories
of that time. Just then Louisa interrupts them with petty and cruel
words.
Her cynical rant is interrupted by the creaking sounds of a dead-cart
passing by. She faints. Walsingham is then asked to sing something in
honor of the plague to cheer her up. When he finishes singing his hymn,
a Priest enters and chastises the merrymakers for disrespecting the
dead and destroying the silence of coffins. After the priest leaves the
feast proceeds but Walsingham remains in deep thought.
About the Director
Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli
Born in Turkmenistan in 1959. He completed his course in Theatre
studies at the Theatre Institute in Tashkent in 1986. In 1988 – 89 he
worked in the Artistic Workshop in Tbilisi led by M. Tumanishivilli and
went on to work as the Artistic Director of the Turkmenistan Drama and
Music Theatre from 1986 to 1990, and then of the Youth Theatre in
Ashgabat from 1991 to 1993. He has worked with the Theatres from
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan.
Directed over 50 plays written by Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, K. Abe,
Thomas Mann, Euripides, Garcia Lorca, Sophocles and Alisher Navoia.
Made a film Oedipus the King, based on the play by Sophocles and Seneca
and a documentary film on the artist Igor Savickiy;several others
productions including Abe’s Woman In The Sands, Thoas Mann’s Joseph and
his Brothers, Shakespaer’s King Lear, Wilde’s Saloma’ Tikomacu’s
Suicide of lovers and Navoyi’s Raksu S’amo. He received Best Production
Award at the International Theatre Festival in Germany, Poland, Italy,
Switzerland, Russia and Finland. At present he is believed to be one of
the most prominent Director of and from Centeral Asia.
The Theatre of Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli is a paradoxical phenomena that
combines the skills of the Russian Theatrical School with later
‘sovereign’ views that believes art to be free from the idealized
blinders of the Soviet Age. It is known to be pragmatic, with temporary
aims and turned in to human ideas on passions and feelings. His Theatre
is a Theatre of piercingly expressive metaphors. It explores an expanse
of human experience, ranging over the deep memories of childhood and
perversions of tragic passion in adult life as seen in King Oedipus, to
the natural beginnings and ritual rhythms of ancient Indian dances in
Saffron Sary, to the profound combination of the European Theatrical
School with Oriental poetical test and the soulful movements to the
Sufi tradition within a cosmic poetical space in Raksu S’amo –
Celestial Dance. As a form of Dramatic and Artistic representation, it
goes beyond the temporary, geographical and stylistic frames of
nations, cultures and performing traditions and represents, instead, a
Theatre that defies the limitations and boundaries which is true to
soul of essential human experience.
The Director’s Note
Each of the “little tragedies" serves as an illustration of some of the
other fault--Jealousy in Mozart and Salieri, Adultery in The Stone
Guest, and Arrogance in The Feast during a Plague.
The purpose of this play and its tragedies is to keep a track of the
human sin-count through a process of development. The Feast during a
Plague finishes this cycle with a statement on the actual problems from
the 19 th to 21st centuries. There are no specific lead heroes. All of
then come from the crowd which is played by the chorus as a blend of
characters from different nationalities and cultures, but with the same
destiny. For me a work like “Little Big Tragedies” is not
measurable--the person having a collision with the paradoxes of life,
and making the journey from beginning to end in an attempt to answer
the basic questions about happiness and freedom.
Epigraph to this play taken from Pushkin’s verses:
I can't sleep, and there's no light,
Mirk all round and restless slumber,
Tickings near me without number,
Monotonous clock measuring night!
O you Fates with old wives' chatter,
Sleepy night so softly swaying,
Life with mouselike pitter-patter,
Why vex me, what are you saying?
Boring whispers what implying?
Do you murmur or complain?
Can't you tell me what you're seeking,
Calling me or Prophesying?
Oh for someone to explain
That dark language you are speaking!
Pushkin 1830.
Hindi Translation
Neelabh
Born.16 August, 1945, Mumbai.
After completing his Masters from the Allahabad University, Shri
Neelabh worked as a producer for the Special Broadcast Service of the
BBC. He began writing while he was still a student and his first work
was published during the initial years of his professional life. In
1984 he returned to India and began writing on a full-time basis. Today
he is recognized as one of the most proficient and talented writers of
Hindi literature. Shri Neelaabh has written several screenplays for
films and television as well.
The corpus of his work includes translations and adaptations like
Pagla Raja, Aatankh ke Saye, Apvaad ka Phanda, etc; adaptations of
plays by playwright like Shakespeare, Bretch and Lorca; plays like Apne
Aap se Lambi Baat Cheet, Jungle Khamosh Hai, Shokh ka Sukh and many
others. In addition he has edited a book on 30 stories of Manto and has
written two volumes of prose titled Pratimaano ki Purohiti and Poora
Ghar hai Kavita. .
Music Directer
Kajal Ghosh
Born in 1953. At the age of seven started to learn Tabla from Pandit
Vishwanath Bose and Hindustani Vocal Music from Acharya K.C.D.
Brahspati and Smt. Sulochana Brahspati. He is a member of IPTA for
three decades, Director & founder member of Parcham and founder member
of Sahmat.
He started composing music for Theatre from 1971. As a
professional music composer he Composed music for Hindi and Bangali
Plays, Jatras, Dance Dramas, Street Plays. Puppet Theatre, Serials,
Documentary and TV Films.
Plays Uwalde Tibbe, Excepption and Rule, Yasmin, Thehra Hua Pani Jeevan
ki Ye, Khubsurat Bala, Yahudi ki Ladki, 1857 ek safarnama , Anji, Ali
Baba, Tota Bola, Nati Binodni, Dilli Chalo, Trump ka Patta, Satranj ke
Khiladi, Aachary Tartuff, Kafka ek adhyay, Bakri, Mitti Na Howe Matrai,
Ramayna.
Serials Titliyan, Police FILE Se, Munshi Premchand ki Amar Kahaniyan,
Tracking Gold, Opening Stroke, Devi Choudhurani.
TV Film Fakhroor Main, Lal Ghas Pe Neela Ghoda, Kath ki Gaadi.
Documentary Secular India, Trochesof Courage, Journey Through Kashmir
and Warriors.
Worked with Directors like E. Alkazi, Rudra Prasad Sengupta, Prasanna,
Sheela Bhatiya, Nadira Babar, Rajindra Nath, Bapi Bose, Dadi Padmagee,
Kavita Nagpal, Suresh Sharma.
Participated in Festival of India in London, Germany, Poland and Word
Festival of Youth and students in Korea.
Awards Best Musical Play by Sahitya kala Parishad’s for the play Yahudi
ki Ladki 1980. Falicitated by Poland State Television 1982. N.H.K.
award by Japanese Television 1986 – 87. Medals in North Korea 1989.
Kala Sahitya Evam Sanskriti Puraskar by Pahal 1991. Sangeet Natak
Academy award for Theatre Music 2000.
Choreographer
Gilles Chuyen
Gilles Chuyen, Trained in France in Folk Dance, Morden Jazz, Ballet and
Contemporary Dance. He has been exposed to different kind of Ball Room;
Jiva, Walts, Tango and Salsa. Living in India for the last fifteen
years. He studied Mayurbhanj Chhau under the guidance of Shashidharan
Nayir from Shriram Bhartiya Kala Kendra, New Delhi.
Gilles, has been Involved in numerous programmes all over India and
Abroad and has been performing as a Dancer and Actor. He has
Choreographed shows in different backgrounds and various vocabularies.
He also contributed dance shows in Ball Room, Contemporary fusion and
Classical forms, Theatre, Fashion, Television, Cinema and concept
performance for the corporate world.
Light Designer
Govind Singh Yadav
Graduate from Allahabad University. Started theatre at Bal Bhawan,
Allahabad.Diploma in Kathak Dance from NCZCC, Allahabad, Dramatic Arts
from Bharatendu Natya Academy, Lucknow, Design and Direction from the
National School of Drama, New Delhi and Light technology from National
Theatre of Korea.
Worked with Light designers like Krasten Krause, Neil Fraser, Kanishk
Sen,V.Ramamurthy, Suresh Bharadwaj, Ashok Sagar Bhaghat and Bapi Bose.
He has designed lights for more than 25 plays with Directors like Ram
Gopal Bajaj, Anuradha Kapur, Ranjeet Kapur, Kirti Jain, D.R.Ankur,
Rajendra Nath, Suresh Sharma, Surya Mohan Kulshresht, Raj Bisaria,
Kavalam Narayana Paniker, Rob Claire, Abhilash Pillai, Roysten Abel,
Valentine Teplayko, Robin Das, Anamika Haksar, Mohan Maharshi, Sushil
Kumar Singh, Urmil Kumar Thapliyal, Surendra Sharma.
Youth Scholarship from HRD on the subject Globalization’s influence on
theatre audience. Bismillah Khan Award by Sangeet Naatak Akademi in the
field of Theatre Lighting.
At present he is working in the Lighting department of NSD Repertory
Company.
On Stage
Mozart
Dwarika Dahiya
Sailieri
Naveen Singh Thakur
Don Juan
Manish Kumar, Sunil Upadhyay
Louisa
Sapna Khatana, Sajida
Laura
Sapna Khatana, Rakhi kumari
Dona Anna
Anamika, Sunayana Shukla
Mary
Tina Bhatiya, Rakhi kumari
Chairman, Blindman, Leporello
Maisnam Joy Meetei
Monk & Priest
Abdul kadir Shah, Jitendra Shashtri
Yuva
Sunil Upadhyay , Pramod Kumar Sharma
Don Carlos
Emmanuel Singh, Sukumar Tudu
Off Stage
Production Co-ordinater – Rajesh Sharma
Set Design – Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli
Technical Co ordinater in Set – Goutan Mojumdar
Set In-charge – Sukumar Todo, Pramod Kumar
Set Execution – Ramchandra, Ram Avatar Meena, Dharam Singh
Light Design – Govind Singh Yadav
Light Execution – Md. Suleman, Pradeep Agrawal, Kiran Kumar
Costume Design - Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli
Costume Assistant – Teena Bhatiya, Manish Mishra
Costume In-charge - C. S. Bhatiya
Assistant – Budhram
Make Up & Brochure – Punj Prakash
Poster & Brochure Design – Anshita Arora, Somya Varma
Brochure Translation & Editing – Amitabh Sriwastava, Sonal Parmar
Music- Kajal Ghosh
Assistant – Naveen Singh Thakur
Musical Effects - Gagan
Choreography – Gilles Chuyen
Assistant – Sapna Khatana
Sound Operator - Mukesh Kumar
Photography – S. Thyagrajan
Assistant – Deepak Kumar
Exhibition – Prithvi Singh Negi
Publicity – Dharm Veer, Prithvi Singh Negi
Property – Moti Lal Khare
Chief Assistant Director - Rajesh Sharma
Assistant Director – Anoop Trivedi
Interpreter – Gul
Verse Translation - Madan Lal Madho
Play Wright – Alexander Pushkin
Hindi Translation – Neelabh
Design and Direction - Ovlyakuli Khodjakuli
National School of Drama Repertory Company
The National School of Drama Repertory Company was formed by Shri E.
Alkazi on an experimental basis in 1964. Initially it consisted of only
four Actors and was later expanded to include a large group of Actors,
Musician and Technicians, drawn mainly from amongst the Graduates of
the School.
Over the years Repertory has produced a variety of plays ranging from
stylized musical to Realistic and contemporary adaptation of foreign
and Indian plays. In addition, several eminent Directors of National
and International repute from within the country and abroad have worked
with the Company.
The Repertory has performed over 150 plays by 90 playwrights and has
worked with 70 Directors. Quite a few of the Actors of the Company have
emerged as celebrities in Theatre, Cinema and Television in India. The
Repertory tours extensively all over the Country and has made several
successful trips to Germany. Poland, UK , Nepal, Mauritius and
Bangladesh.
In 1993, the Company organized a major Festival of Mohan Rakesh’s plays
to mark his 28th death anniversary. In 1991 on the occasion of the
Company Silver Jubilee Rang Yatra an exhibition consisting of its
Photographs, Set-models, Costumes, Properties and Posters etc was also
put up.
The Company celebrated 40 years of its existence on 20th May 2004.
Business Manager
C. D. Tiwari
Production Co-ordinator
Rajesh Sharma
Music In charge
Om Prakash
Costume In charge
C. S. Bhatiya
Sound technician
R. S. Gosain
Box Office
Deepak Wadhwa
Dharmveer
Prithvi Singh Negi
Repertory Chief
Suresh Sharma
Director NSD
Anuradha Kapur
