Some tears of blood
NANDINI NAIR
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"Blood Wedding" promises to bring reality with symbolism to the stage.
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Photo: Sandeep Saxena
OF PASSION From the rehearsal of "Blood Wedding".
"In the middle of the street, not in middle of street," she emphasises. After careful observation she continues, "Don't be stagy. Be sympathetic to the lovers." Veteran theatre person Kusum Haidar polishes dialogue and sharpens gestures days before the Yatrik presentation of "Blood Wedding".
It is a play of passion, revenge and finally of fate. "Blood Wedding" is the first play in a trilogy of rural tragedies by iconic Spanish playwright Federico Garcia Lorca. Based on a true incident reported in the Madrid press in 1933, the play is a classic story of feuding families, forbidden passions and bloody resolutions.
Taking a break from rehearsals, director Kusum Haidar explains the play. "Lorca draws heavily from Spanish culture. It is about duende, a Spanish quality that means either you have it or you don't. But Lorca is universal and can be played at any time by any society. It continues to have a resonance."
The production adheres to its Spanish identity. But Haidar says the role of the mother, the safeguarding of honour and society can easily be identified as Indian themes.
Having acted in plays of Lorca previously, she continues to be drawn by his scripts and plots. With an actor's grand gestures she says, "His poetry is wonderful. It can be spoken in a normal way and can therefore be absorbed in a realistic setting."
While the plot is from reality the play is rich in symbolism. Moon and Death are personified. The horse and knife come to symbolise sexuality and potency respectively. While the end is hopeless, Haidar believes it is more cathartic than bleak. The end also has Catholic significance, where death is a transcending of the self. "There is a strong element of fate. Society will not allow their primeval passion to survive." The play is not merely about individual stories she continues. Man becomes a pawn. For example, a character says, "It is not my fault. It is the fault of the earth," showing how it is bigger than the self.
The sets have been pared down to bare minimum, to suit both the budget and mood. Most of the props are from the director's house itself! Music creates an authentic Spanish feel. Lullabies are sung live, flamenco music creates the joys of weddings.
The cast includes only two veterans. Haidar emphasises that she wishes to identify and display new talent.
The play runs on 22 and 23 April at 7:00 p.m. at the India Habitat Centre. Tickets: Rs.250, Rs.100, Rs.100, Rs.50 are available at the IHC ticket counter.
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