Premiered in 1989, Kathakali-King Lear, directed by Annette Leday and David McRuvie, was performed in prestigious venues throughout the world for over a decade. The last series of performances took place at the Globe Theater in London from 6 to 17 July 1999. Since its creation, the Kathakali-King Lear has become a reference in the field of intercultural performance. It was the object of enthusiasm and passionate polemics, as well as of numerous academic studies. (Diane Daugherty, “The Pendulum of Intercultural Performance: ‘Kathakali King Lear’ at Shakespeare’s Globe,” Asian Theatre Journal 22, no. 1 (April 1, 2005). Prof Phillip Zarilli, “For Whom Is the King a King? Issues of Intercultural Production, Perception, and Reception in a Kathakali King Lear” "The Critical Theory and Performance" of University of Michigan)

TRADITION, CREATION, TRANSMISSION

Since 1989 the Annette Leday/Keli company has created a number of contemporary productions featuring Indian and Western artists. Created with the great masters of the time Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair, Kathakali-King Lear was the first step of this long association with Kathakali performers from Kerala. Today, the great masters are no more. Thirty years later we revisit Kathakali-King Lear with a new approach and a new team to make it resonate with today's times. The new team includes a core of artists who participated in the first production in their youth and have now reached the full maturity of their art. A few young artists have also been selected to ensure the transmission between generations.

Sponsored by The Department of Culture of Kerala Governement

a rehearsal camp was held in Trivandrum in Novembre 2018.

The production then toured India in Decembre 2018

in partnership with the Alliances Françaises of Trivandrum, Chandighar, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Pune.

It has then be performed at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris

on April 5, 6 and 7, 2019. 

This marked the thirtieth anniversary of its creation.

Kathakali-King Lear, The Edinbugh Festival press

Observer (UK) “Kathakali-King Lear is an enchantment... It’s exotic but rarely seems remote.”

Sunday Times (UK) : “Stunning.” 

Independant (UK) : “One of the most enthralling performances of the festival.”

Times Literary Suppplement (UK) : “Extraordinarily beautiful production.”

Daily Telegraph (UK) : “Intense, hypnotic and spectacularly beautiful, this is a Lear which will linger in the memory when more conventional productions have been forgotten.”

PRODUCTION Association Keli Paris. COPRODUCTION Théâtre de la Ville-Paris – Alliance Française Trivandrum (direction François Grosjean)

WITH THE SPECIAL SUPPORT FROM  Department of Cultural Affairs Kerala Government, Department of Tourism Kerala Government, Institut Français in India, the délégation générale des Alliances Françaises in India

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Bharat Bhavan Trivandrum, the Chavara Cultural Centre Cochin and Pepper House Cochin.

From Kathakali pandal to contemporary stage

Yatra.pdf

An article by Annette Leday

© Keli