Postgraduate students of the department of English at Loreto College in Calcutta organised The Globe Gathering on April 30 to commemorate the timeless artistry of the Bard of Avon. The introductory performance, named Shakespeare Sarani, brought together the poetic genius of two literary giants — William Shakespeare and Rabindranath Tagore. A graceful dance performance fused the Bard’s 127th sonnet, “In the old age, black was not counted fair”, with the soulful melody of Tagore’s “Krishnakoli ami tarei boli”. Both Sonnet 127 and Krishnakoli centre around standards of beauty.
In the next segment, Tortured Soul’s Society, the students brought to life “tortured” Shakespearean characters through dramatic recitations of their soliloquies — from the delirious ramblings of Hamlet to the rage of Shylock, from the weight of guilt crushing Lady Macbeth to the spark of hope driving Prospero.
The third performance was a classic Shakespearean Soirée in which the students sang melodies composed by Shakespeare for his plays. These included The Willow Song from Othello, O Mistress Mine from Twelfth Night and Full Fathom Five from The Tempest. This was followed by the Stratford Savants, an Open House quiz that tested the literary mettle of the audience on all things Shakespeare.
The highlight of the event was But Daddy, I Love Him! — based on the tumultuous story of star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Through an original poem, The Last Waltz, and a mesmerising dance performance, the students paid tribute to one of the Bard’s finest literary creations.
The celebrations would undoubtedly remain incomplete without a dramatic performance. This took the form of Shakes’Here — written, produced and directed by the students — featuring various Shakespearean heroines navigating “what if” situations in the contemporary world. Exploring the troubled relationship of Desdemona and Othello, the ambitions of Lady Macbeth, the childlike naivety of Miranda, and the turbulent marriage of Romeo and Juliet, this modern satire provoked uproarious laughter.
With its seamless amalgamation of poetry, music, dance and drama, The Globe Gathering served as a memorable testament to the Bard’s enduring artistic legacy.
Niharika Upadhyay
MA first Year, department of English, Loreto College, Calcutta
Fest time
The 18th edition of EDGE 2024, the annual fest at Techno Main Salt Lake, showcased a fusion of intellect and creativity. Edge Nights featured stand-up comedians Aditya Kulshreshth and Gurleen Pannu while Edge Talks provided insights and learning experiences from the lives of Koushik Chakraborty — singer, songwriter, composer, filmmaker and vocalist of Prithibi — and Debaditya Chaudhury, co-founder of Chowman and Oudh 1590. The Cyber Crusade gaming club organised the largest LAN tournament of e-football. The Robopalz Robotics Club showcased inventive robots with a focus on sustainability. The photography club Infocus’s events culminated in the exhibition “Lens and Lounge”. CurBrain, the coding club, hosted Geekathon. The fest featured many more club events such as Geeks Design, Editorial, CIIC, Elevation, Newron, Food for Fun, Create it Innovati and Just Like It.
Tamojit Misra
Fourth year, electronics and communication engineering, Techno Main Salt Lake, Calcutta
