தினசெய்தி – 5 11 2023
பக்கம் எண் : 4
அருந்தமிழும் அன்றாட வழக்கும் – 186
ஊடக வெளிச்சத்தில் ஷேக்ஸ்பியரின் சுவடு
முனைவர் ஔவை அருள்
தில்லிப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் யான் 28 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு வழங்கிய
முனைவர் பட்ட ஆய்வின் முப்பத்தாறாம் பகுதி வருமாறு:
EFFLORESCENCE IN THE MEDIA
Once planted firmly on the Tamil stage, Shakespeare performances became a popular source of public entertainment.
Amateur dramatic troupes became popular by staging the plays in English as well in Tamil. Similar troupes were established outside Madras and special mention must be made of Prof. C.S. Kamalapathy who was then in the National College, Tiruchi, a Veteran Shakespare actor-director to whom the stage was as much a passion as his class room.
He established a troupe in Tiruchi along with his friend Bellari Raghavachari whose portrayal of Othello, it was remarked was better than that of Orson Wells.
19 Regular performances of full length plays were staged in Thevar Hall, Tiruchi Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar was his close friend and encouraged his attempts at stage productions of the English versions of the Shakespeare Text.
In his opinion, As You Like It. Julius Caesar, Othello. The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice were ideally suited for the Tamil ethos and hence they became at once popular
Though Prof. CS. Kamalapathy played various roles, his portrayal of Brutus in Julius Caesar earned for him the title Brutus Kamalapathy
presiding over one of his performances the great Rt Hon’ble V.S. Srinivasa Sastri remarked that Prof. CS. Kamalapathy belongs to that class of Shakespeare actors whom to count, fingers of one hand are too many
He became a rage in the South and he had the unique honour of acting in The Merchant of Venice along with the Veteran film actor Prithviraj Kapoor
Professor Kamalapathy, being an academician, had the advantage of reading scholarly criticisms of AC. Bradley, RG. Moulton, Dowden, Dover Wilson,
Mrs. Jameson and GB. Harrison.
Subtle interpretations and nuances of the British acting tradition helped him to give a new dimension to the performances.
Far from ‘tearing a passion to tatters. Prof. Kamalapathy toned down the ranting element and with admirable dexterity portrayed the emotions through facial gestures.
Prof. Kamalapathy was an outstanding non-professional Shakesperean actor for over two decades.
He staged The Merchant of Venice twelve times, Othello and Richard Il
ten times and at various institutions he gave more than 500 mono acting programmes.
At a time when Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar was fading out of the stage on account of age.
Prof. Kamalapathy kept the stage alive.
He was honoured by the Tamilnadu Government in the early fifties with the tile Kala Sikhamani for his great services to the stage.
No less was the contribution of Shakspeare Sundaram who had all the Shakespeare characters rolled into one
He made a living out of Shakespeare by his mono acting performance and made extensive tours in Tamil Nadu.
He concentrated on schools and colleges and all that he needed was a platform.
He had a stupendous memory that enabled him to give mono acting performances of the popular tragedies and comedies.
All this could help him only to eke out a living.
He lived on the stage as a solitary individual and the stage helped him to live.
Film makers recognised his talents and he became the tutor of actors who wanted to enact Shakespeare scenes on the celluloid, in particular the veteran actor Shivaji Ganesan learnt the nuances of acting Shakespeare scenes from Mr. Sundaram.
Kamalapathy and Sundaram confined themselves to acting.
They did not attempt any translation or adaptation, whereas Prof. C.R. Myleru of the English Department of Annamalai University was an actor cum translator.
Shakespeare readings are also familiar to the Indian students.
The voice and manner of the Professors who taught Shakespeare at various colleges in Tamilnadu can never be forgotten by their students.
Now and again Professors of English have given Shakespeare recitals even in their class rooms.
Class room lectures turned into
mono acting programs much to the delectation of students who never felt the need to read the text again for examination.
In the 40’s film versions of Shakespeare’s plays made entry into India.
It was a great source of inspiration for school and college students to whom Shakespeare was a prescribed author
Special 16 mm versions of these plays were screened in educational institutions under the Visual Education Scheme
plays like Macbeth. Othello.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
As You Like It. Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet were popular movie versions
The Taming of the Shrew (1929) was an early movie starring Douglas Fairbanks, the swashbuckling hero and Mary Pickford who was still the world’s sweet-heart. ‘
Every word is Shakespeare’s’ was the advertisement for ‘Romeo and Juliet starred by Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer.
But they were too mature to catch the fresh innocence of these youngest of lovers.
– முனைவர் ஔவை அருள்
தொடர்புக்கு dr.n.arul@gmail.com
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