'Shakescene' – an all Shakespeare Poetry event

On May Day 2009 the Kochi Reading Group celebrated Shakespeare's birthday which falls nominally on the same day as he died, April 23. Talitha's suggestion at the last meeting that this should be an all-Shakespeare event triggered the preparation.

 Priya, Indira, KumKum, Talitha (reading), and Amita

The enthusiasm was so great that a group formed spontaneously to practise some of the lovely songs that are scattered throughout the plays. Talitha had preserved the music for these songs from her college days and brought along a banner decorated with the 'Shakescene' title (used by a gossip of those times to pour scorn on the Bard). You can see the Droeshout engraving at the right corner of the banner.


The Plays, the Sonnets, and the Songs got equal time; but the enjoyment was geatest when the music added its magic to the lyrics of the songs. Thommo even contribted a tune for his rendition of Sonnet 6, 'Then let not winter's ragged hand deface'. You can see the relish on our faces when we adjourned after the unusually long session of two hours.

Priya, Indira, KumKum, Amita, Talitha Geetha, the Bard, Thommo, and Joe

Downloadable mp3 files of the KRG Elizabethan Singers singing three songs and a sonnet can be found by clicking on the active link. We also present a full account of the discussions on May 1.


The next session to read J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye will be held on June 5, 2009, same time, 5:30 pm, and same place, DC Books on Chittoor Road opposite the YMCA. Thommo will be traveling. Tentatively the next session after that on Poetry will be held on July 3.