Kathakali Dance-drama: Where Gods and Demons Come to PlayThis book is a comprehensive introduction to Kathakali stage conventions, make-up, music and acting.Training is also provided, making this an ideal volume for both the specialist and non-specialist reader.Kathakali Dance-Drama provides a comprehensive introduction to the distinctive and colourful dance-drama of Kerala in South-West India for the first time. This landmark volume:* explores Kathakali's reception as it reaches new audiences both in India and the west* includes two cases of controversial of Kathakali experiments* explores the implications for Kathakali of Keralan politicsDuring these performances heroes, heroines, gods and demons tell their stories of traditional Indian epics. The four Kathakali plays included in this anthology, translated from actual performances into English are:* The Flower of Good Fortune* The Killing of Kirmmira* The Progeny of Krishna* King Rugmamgada's LawEach play has an introduction and detailed commentary and is illustrated by stunning photographs taken during performances. An introduction to Kathakali stage conventions, make-up, music, acting, and training is also provided, making this an ideal volume for both the specialist and non-specialist reader. |
Contents
An Ocean of Possibilities | 3 |
A Social History of Kathakali Patronage Connoisseurship and Aesthetics | 19 |
Kathakali Texts in Performance | 41 |
What Does it Mean To Become the Character? Kathakali Actor Training and Characterization | 67 |
The Flower of Good Fortune Kalyanasaugandhikam Kottayam Tampuran | 103 |
Commentary | 115 |
The Killing of Kirmira Kirmiravadham Kottayam Tampuran | 120 |
Commentary | 132 |
Commentary | 173 |
For Whom is the King a King? Issues of Intercultural Production Perception and Reception in a Kathakali King Lear | 181 |
When Marx met Imperialism on the Kathakali Stage | 200 |
Whose Gods and Whose Demons Dance? | 210 |
Kathakali Performances on Video | 213 |
Notes | 216 |
235 | |
Glossary and Table of Transliteration | 248 |
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Common terms and phrases
16 beats acting actor playing actor-dancer aesthetic and/or anupallavi Arjuna audience basic being/doing bhava Bhima bodymind Brahmin caranam cempata tala Chapter character choreography connoisseurs context costumes cultural curtain cycle dance dance-drama demoness demons Dharmaputra dramatic Draupadi Duryodhana elaboration embodied enacted epic experience expression eyes Flower forest gestures hand-gestures Hanuman heroic Hidimbi ideal ilakiyattam Indian interpolation kalarippayattu kalasam kathakali actor Kathakali King Lear kathakali performance kathakali plays kathakali stage Kerala Kalamandalam Killimangalam Killing of Kirmira King Rugmamgada's Law Kirmira Kottayam Kottayam plays Kottayam Tampuran kutiyattam literally M.P. Sankaran Namboodiri Mahabharata make-up Malayalam Malayali Margi martial Menon mind Mohini mudra Nala Namboodiri Narakasura narrative Natyasastra Nayar padam pallavi Panchali Pandavas patronage patrons People's Victory performed today political production Progeny of Krishna raga Rama rasa repertory ritual role Rugmamgada Sahadeva Sanskrit scene Simhika Siva sloka story structure techniques temple theater Thiruvananthapuram traditional translation Vishnu vocalists wife Zarrilli