The Footsbarn Theatre Company of France has been redefining
the classics as we know them since 2007. Their most recent production, The Indian Tempest, was created as part of Guimarães (European
Capital of Culture) 2012 under the project “The Dream... to tour India
in a Tent”. It was performed in collaboration with the Directorate of Art and
Culture on 28th January 2013 at Kala Academy’s open amphitheatre.
The
Indian Tempest was a glorious rendition of Shakespeare’s
The Tempest and saw the artists of
France collaborating with those of Kerala. It was communicated in what Mr.
Joseph Cunningham (actor, Footsbarn) called “the language of the theatre”-and
rightly so- for the languages used in the play included English, French, Malayalam
and Sanskrit. What could have been the biggest mess ever on stage was actually
transformed into one of the defining moments of experimental theatre and one of
the most endearing. It was two and a half hours of pure entertainment.
No doubt, the plot had been tweaked a little; or rather,
a lot. Many of the sub plots had been left out, and while the intrigues were
certainly there, they were hard to spot. One thing was for certain in this tragicomedy
turned pure comedy, and that was the fact that Prospero and Ariel were centre
stage. At the curtain call the actors playing these characters got a well-deserved
2 minute standing ovation. Their energy was infectious; such joy, such commitment!
Also noteworthy were the instrumental music, the
shadow play in the background, the special light and sound effects, and the
smooth transition from scene to scene without once needing a curtain call in
between.
The Indian Tempest is certainly full of “Sounds and sweet airs,
that give delight and hurt not” (Caliban Act III, Scene 2); a must see for
all the theatre fans out there.
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