The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is inviting audiences to the hometown of William Shakespeare to celebrate the 164th birthday of the Indian Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore and to mark the 30th anniversary of the installation of the bust of Tagore in the garden of Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Expect an array of captivating performances that bring Tagore’s artistic legacy and his connections to Shakespeare to life through music and dance.
Rabindranath Tagore was born in 1861 and is perhaps best known for being the first non-European writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. On Sunday 4 May, visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon are invited to enjoy a day of performances to remember Tagore, who was so inspired by Shakespeare that he wrote a poem in his honour.
The celebrations are coming to Henley Street and the garden of Shakespeare’s Birthplace with performances by two organisations from the South Asian community, Prantik and DESIblitz, along with an interactive dance workshop, and hands-on mural painting. This will mark Tagore’s 164th birthday, which has been celebrated since a sculpture of the poet was unveiled in the Birthplace garden 30 years ago.
‘’It is important for us to celebrate Shakespeare’s legacy by commemorating other influential writers who have close links with the Stratford-born playwright and who themselves have been influenced by the works of William Shakespeare.
‘’Thank you again to Prantik and DESIblitz for joining us in filling Henley Street and the Birthplace garden with vibrant celebrations as we celebrate our shared culture.’’
Commented Rachael North, CEO at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Celebrating Tagore at Shakespeare’s Birthplace
The special celebration will begin with a procession from Bengali cultural group Prantik starting from the iconic Shakespeare statue on Henley Street. The performance will end in front of the bust of Tagore located in the Birthplace garden, forming a symbolic journey between these literary giants.
‘’Together with the other members of the Prantik team, we are proud and honoured to continue the tradition of celebrating Tagore’s birthday in the garden of Shakespeare’s Birthplace, which was started in 1996 by my parents, Jayanta and Padma Chatterjee. The extensive range of Tagore’s works has allowed us to select a topical theme each year to introduce audiences to different aspects of his philosophy and creative genius. It is also an opportunity for the wider Bengali and Indian community to discover Shakespeare’s Birthplace.
‘’To complement the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s theme this year, we will be introducing the main female characters in Tagore’s works, each of whom challenged societal norms through their pursuit of love, identity and autonomy, similar to Shakespeare’s iconic female characters. Our performance will bring their stories to life, resonating with Shakespearean themes of transformation and justice’’, commented Obhi Chatterjee, Consultative Council member at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Bringing the Celebrations to Henley Street With Desiblitz
British Asian Lifestyle brand DESIblitz are once again joining forces with the Trust to bring its celebrations to Henley Street, where all will be treated to special performances with a group of classical Indian musicians singing and playing Tagore’s most famous works.
The team’s special Truck Art Bus, a striking mobile stage hand-painted by Haider Ali, the world’s leading Pakistani truck artist, is returning to Shakespeare’s Birthplace for this occasion. The bus is set to transform into a vibrant performance space, bringing Tagore’s poetic and musical legacy to life through live music and interactive dance.
Those visiting Shakespeare’s Birthplace or simply passing by can expect a vibrant street scene as there will be cushions and deckchairs out on Henley Street, surrounding the colourful bus. All are welcome to sit back, relax and soak in the exciting atmosphere as they watch the captivating performances.
Throughout the day guests are invited to have a go at creating a mural with local artist Haseebah Ali using printing techniques and traditional South Asian designs. Through this interactive activity, guests can get creative exploring Shakespeare’s legacy, Tagore’s works and what it means to them today.
For more information about the free celebrations on Henley Street, visit this page on the website of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
The performers from Prantik:
Narrator: Prasenjit Saha
Singers: Anindita Sengupta Saha, Chhaya Biswas, Farzeen Huq, Kaberi Chatterjee, Mousumi Bose, Nikhilesh Das Gupta, Prasenjit Saha, Sudakshina Roy, Supratik Basu & Tirthankar Roy
Dancers: Kaberi Chatterjee & Sudakshina Roy
Esraj: Tirthankar Roy
Tabla: Obhi Chatterjee