Experience Shakespeare through alternative theatre

Fancy a Spanish omelette rustled up by a Portuguese contemporary performer as he acts out a William Shakespeare classic? Head to a unique fest that explores alternative theatre forms centred on the bard's famous works.

The 'Ghosts of Shakespeare festival' is an annual Kolkata event that explores non-traditional venues, including open and public spaces, as well as reaches out to genres other than traditional 'Shakespearean' theatre.

The four-day event begins April 23 and will showcase seven performances by artists from Kerala, Delhi, Portugal, spanning four venues here.

In its fourth year, the event brings Portuguese contemporary performer Diniz Sanchez (also known as Spicy Tutuboy), in a culinary art act.

Sanchez's performance combines the physicality of ballet and cooking. Attired in a tutu, a skirt worn in a ballet performance and high heels, he will dish up a Spanish omlette (tortilla de patatas) based on Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night', said the organisers.

"It is a trans-disciplinary event and includes dance, ritual theatre, performance art, street performance and other forms and genres which defy any easy categorisation," Arka Mukhopadhyay, a founder of the the Arshinagar Project told IANS on Saturday.

The 2015 edition has been named 'The Idiot's Tale' and it focuses on solo performances.

While Sanchez's trans disciplinary project sheds light on national identities, nationalities, nationalism, Aritra Sengupta (from Mad About Drama), Kolkata, will be presenting a post-modern deconstruction of Iago from 'Othello'.

Other highlights include Kerala's Jyothirmayi Kurup's interpretation of 'The Taming of the Shrew' and dance movement therapist Dimple Kaur's live act inspired from the text of 'Antony and Cleopatra'.

The fest is supported by Alliance Francaise du Bengale, Tent - Theatre for Experiments in New Technologies, Cultural Institute of Portugal and Alternative Living Theatre.