New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-15
A HINDOO HAMLET.
THE ACTOR HAS BEEN OBLIGED ITO
INTRODUCE VEIN OF LIGHT
COMEDY RUNNING RIGHT
THROUGH THE PLAY.
From The Taller.

From The Tatler.
When Edmund Russell, American actor
who had been playing Shakespeare in Bombay
recently suggested that l should witness with
him a performance of Hamlet in Hindustani /
confess that | taken aback. My surprise
was increased when L learned that Shakespeare
has had his public, enthusiastic public
among native Indians for nearly quarter Of
century.
The earliest of his plays to be translated was
"A Comedy of Errors.' followed in rapid success
sion by Romeo and Juliet "PericIes.' The
Winters Tale" "OthelO." Hamlet" Twelfth
Night" and The Merchant OF Venice
Strange to say. in India as in England, Ham
let is the most pGpulaT-the safest revival
Kavasgi Pallonji KhataO, the Indian Hamlet
whose show 1 witnessed. tells me that during
the last two years he has given this play over
100 times, and that in Bombay it had reached
the unheard of run of fifty-six consecutive
nights.
The Parsees have been the initiators. the
translatOrs. and, as far as the male characters
are concerned. the opponents of these Shakes
pearan adaptations. In fact. until MIR. Russell
arrived in India few moathS ago. they had re-
ceiyed no hint or assistance from any white
man. Their audiences, too, have been exclu-
sively native. The female characters are taken
by HindOO boys.
In criticsing a foreign, and especially an ORR
entail rendering of q Shakespearian play one
must make very material allowances FOR altered
circumstances. When we bear in mind That
every European exponent CT Hamlet with the
exception of BENSON has E;utiiated the book
to suit himself and his audience. it would be
ungenerOus TO carp at our Pdrsee friends for
having taken liberties with tEe text when
studying the requirements of native iniian
public.
Drastic, indeed are the changes that have
been made. but they have been effected skiIfuIly
and with dramatic Intelligence. although The
order of the scenes has been rl,thiessIy changed
and the blue pencil has Oeeu used UnSparingly,
the Shakespeari-n theme = plain throughout
and the EngliShman who knows 10 word Of Hin
duStdni cannot fail 10 follow the play. the most
obvious and important omissions the grave
diggerS' scene and that Of tde burial of CphelIa-
These, Mr. X. i. X. tfCr ! cannot trust my
self IL spell his name second tiTnel explained
me. could not b. performed IN India for the
dissertation Of tOmbS would auO1ut 20 such
that the audience you'd rise ana wreck the
theatre IN which such atrocities were counter
feteG.
Hamlet as it was written" said Mr.. n 2.
ences. and therefore, he added hall APOLOGIZE
caily. we have been obliged to Introduce vein
of light comedy running right through H. And
they had.
Hamlet the Queen. the King Polonius and
HoratiO are sufficiently Shakespearian, and the
Ghost is as much "A goblin damned" as his
British prototype but the other characters are
mixed indeed. There are people who maintain
that Sarah Bernhardts woman Hamlet was
daring performance. but Il merely modest
Ophelia. The Indian Ophelia is a giddy young
thing several inches taller than any on
the stage. All arms and legs and especially
feet and hands. she is clothed in a single gar
ment, which, / think. may hest be described IS
a sort OF close fitting sPangled chemise without
lace. Shakespeare'S heroine is not quite lively
enough for the Hindoos. they have given her
u second lover and half dozen Sprishtly little
handru8idtnS. with whom at frequent Intervals
she INDUCES i'm song and dance TO a species OF
Belle Fatma accompaniment.
The Ildian title of the play is "Khoone-Na-