Krishna Shah

(19*-) Distinguished Indian director. ** 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.

Biography

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.'

Sources

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Tucker 1997.

Programme of the play Sponono (which he wrote and directed) staged in February 1963. Programme sponsored by The OK Bazaars.

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