Re-visiting and Re-staging

Book excerpt: This volume offers a novel approach to the world of adaptations through an intense cross-cultural study. The concept of ‘adaptation’ is extensively discussed here, exploring its meaning and relevance, as well as the various forms it takes. The book investigates what happens when three 20th century European plays, considered as landmark works of the age, are adapted to the Indian context in three different languages; discussing the dynamics and the results of this. It takes us into the minds of the creators – playwrights, adapters, directors, actors, and producers, and ‘others’. The interviews with directors who suffused the western plays with Indian flavor and served them to the local audience also provide valuable insights about theatrical, cultural, and ideological concerns. It also represents an interesting collection of examples and analogies hand-picked from the wide space of literature, theatre, and cinema. It offers a comprehensive base for a thorough understanding of adaptations and the allied multi-disciplinary issues.