Krishna Shah

Krishna Shah (1938-2013) [1]. Distinguished American/Gujarati film and theatre director.

Biography

(1939-2013)[2] was an India-born American/Gujarati film and theatre director, screenwriter, playwright, producer, and production/distribution executive.

Biography

Born on 10 May 1938 in Bombay, India,

In 1969 he married Diane Hillman.

He passed away on 13 October 2013 in Mumbai.

Contribution to South African Theatre

As Artistic Director of the Indian National Theatre, Shah had mounted Rabindranath Tagore's King of the Dark Chamber in New York City in 1961, and later that same year Shah and his production were brought to South Africa by the progressive professional theatre organisation Union Artists.

King of the Dark Chamber opened in Durban in 1962, then went on to play at the University of the Witwatersrand's Great Hall, and would have a great influence on the evolution of theatre among the South African Indian community. In recognition of this influence the Shah Theatre Academy was named after the director.

Professor Dennis Schauffer of the University of Durban-Westville would later write a scholarly paper titled "In the Shadow of the Shah" which explained in detail Shah's contribution to South Africa's cultural enlightenment.[20]

In 1963, Krishna Shah directed the three act Sponono, which he'd co-written with South African author and anti-apartheid activist Alan Paton.[21] It was Shah's idea to convert three of Paton's preexisting short stories into a stage play. Shah and Paton worked together on the script, and Union Artists were tapped for actors and other contributions.[22] Sponono debuted 12 December 1962 at ML Sultan Theatre, Durban, then travelled to Sea Point, Johannesburg, and on to Pietermaritzburg's Lotus Hall in March 1963. Cape Times critic Ivor Jones said the play was an "exciting dramatic contrivance (that) drew a packed multi-racial audience to its opening night" while Tony Williams Short of The Argus noted the play's "universal theme" as being "a profound study of the subtleties and depths of forgiveness."[23]

In 1964, Shah and Paton took Sponono to the Cort Theatre on Broadway, via US stage producer Mary Frank.[24][25] The play had many internal difficulties. Frank fired Shah shortly before opening night and proceeded to change pivotal aspects of the play. Shah vehemently protested these changes, stating that the play had seen success in South Africa and that the changes Frank was making would destroy the meaning and presentation. Shah was subsequently forbidden to be near the play's cast or production, with Frank citing Shah as being "ill" for a cover story.[26]

The play closed prematurely. Quite unlike its South African run, Sponono on Broadway was indeed a critical and financial failure. As the play was dying, Frank ran a confrontational and confusing ad in the New York Times, lambasting the city's "Negroes and liberals" for not attending the show, while crediting the play completely to Shah and Paton as their work, alone.[27] It was twenty years before Frank would produce her next and final play,[28] while Krishna Shah would abandon the world of theatre to explore film and television. Paton himself expressed regret at the "tragic" occurrences due to Frank's interference, saying, "I now wish, of course, that we had not presented the play on Broadway."

In 1961 Shah brought his New York production of Rabinadrath Tagore's The King of the Dark Chamber () to Durban, South Africa .

In 1963 Shah returned to Durban to conduct workshops, and this led to the founding of the influential Shah Academy in 1965 and the growth of Indic Theatre in the country.

Sources

Quoted out of a programme of Sponono staged from February 20th, 1963 and performed by Union Artists production: 'Two directors are cited for their experimental work in India, Satyajit Ray of Calcutta for his films, and the young director, Krishna Shah of Bombay, for his stage plays. Mr. Shah graduated from the Indian Academy of Dramatic Art and became a leading actor on the professional stage. Turning to directing he staged Kadam Milake Chalo in Bombay where it is still running after four years. In 1958 the play won the first prize in the State Drama Competition and he was named best director of the year. Sponsored by the Indian National Theatre, he went to the United States to study and survey Western trends in Drama. As the winner of an international scholarship he studied and taught at Iowa University. He directed King of the Dark Chamber in New York where it received rave notices and ran for a year. In 1961 Union Artists brought him to South Africa where his production of this play enjoyed an enthusiastic reception.'

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He was brought to South Africa by Union Artists to mount Rabindranath Tagore]’s King of the Dark Chamber in 1961. It starred Indian stars Surya Kumari and Baskhar and opened in Durban before playing at the Wits University Great Hall.

He directed a production of Sponono in 1963.

Sources

Tucker, 1997.

Programme of the play Sponono staged in February 1963. Programme sponsored by The OK Bazaars.

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