"First published in 2011 by Haus Publishing Ltd as Shakespeare in Kabul."--Title page verso. An expanded and updated telling of the authors' earlier book Shakespeare in Kabul, which chronicled the efforts of Afghan actors to stage Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost in Kabul in 2005 in the Dari language.
Contents:
A night in the Emperor's garden -- "The scene begins to cloud" -- Ten years after.
Summary:
"In 2005, a group of Afghan actors endeavored to create an unusual dramatic performance--one that would bring theater to a region wounded after years of war with the Taliban and offer hope for healing. A Night in the Emperor's Garden is the captivating account of their resulting play and a rich exploration of the region's culture. In preparation, for five months, the group tirelessly reworked Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost into their own Dari language while the members brought their own experiences to the interpretation. One actor was a police detective and widow determined to create images of strong women. Another had trained at Kabul University before fleeing to Pakistan as a refugee. A third had played the title role in the acclaimed film Osama, yet was a beggar who could barely read and write. Joined by a French actress who served as director and several other enthusiasts, these actors performed before royalty and street vendors alike for one night amid the ruins of a magnificent garden laid out five centuries earlier by Emperor Babur. For the first time in thirty years, men and women stood on stage together as they worked toward a new era in Afghanistan. Qais Akbar Omar and Stephen Landrigan, both involved in the production, have captured its exuberance and optimism along with the actors' joys and sorrows in the decade following the play. Revealing a side of Afghanistan largely unknown to outsiders, A Night in the Emperor's Garden tells the magical story of an artistic achievement with universal appeal."--Publisher's description.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.