Affirming that Shakespeare's works speak of "changing times" the Bard's works have become "more relevant" in present day West Bengal, theatre personality Kaushik Sen has said.
Kaushik was talking to PTI last evening on the sidelines of a discussion 'Shakespeare - the World Voice for Emotions' organised by British Council here on his 400th death anniversary in which lyricist-rebel poet Srijato and music composer-director Debojyoti Mishra were also present.
Kaushik, a prominent actor-theatre personality, who talked about Bengali theatre's tryst with Shakespeare for centuries - from numerous references to the Bard by Girish Ghosh, Utpal Dutta to the present times - said the Bard's works spoke of the "changing times".
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"And we must speak of time to keep our theatre alive," he said.
Shakespeare's works gain more relevance considering the "present situation" in Bengal, he said.
Asked to elaborate, he said, "It's not like 'Chalo let's do Shakespeare'. It is about how his works are related with the present times."
Drawing further parallels with the situation prevailing in Bengal for the past several years, Kaushik said a creative person needs to combat the situation where hooligans apparently have a field day, through his form of art -- the theatre of Shakespeare.
"If we utter our words in the privacy of home, that won't help. We are not poets or lyricists whose words will ignite minds when the printed works hit the stands. We are performers before an audience and our connect is direct," he said.
Agreeing with Kaushik, prominent poet Srijato said, "We are in a time when one person is killing the other. This betrayal reminds of Julius Caesar. Life is a melodrama and Shakespeare repeats life."
Debojyoti Mishra wondered why Bengal's present day Shakespeare adaptations like Macbeth or King Lear cannot be staged in Globe Theatre, London to which a top British Council official promised it will be done in future.
"In the present conflict-ridden times Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth gain more topicality," Debojyoti said.
