Dastardly Dukes. Bloody Battles. Legendary Lovers. It may have been many years since William Shakespeare trod the boards like a Colossus, but his saga lives on...and quite literally, at that! The works of the iconic playwright came alive at Christ University at Jabberwocky, the annual literature festival. The fest, which is a carnival of sorts, is known for its tidal wave of creativity and fun, but this year saw the exploration of new levels of artistry, with the theme ‘Shakespeare’, in commemoration of his 450th birth anniversary.
Conducted by the English Department of the University, the participants of the fest are the English Studies classes, who set up stalls each based on the topic they get. This year’s topics were some of Shakespeare’s classic plays, such as As You Like It, Macbeth , and Othello among others. With judging categories such as Best Visualization, Best Research and Best Interaction, each class made their stall perfect to a fault, with some innovative artwork and props, concepts, interactive activities, games and eccentric prizes.
While all the stalls were terrific in their own right, some stalls were the undeniable highlights. The Macbeth stall, with its surreal castle, and some quirky games (where the winner’s hands would be doused in red dye ‘blood’ like Lady Macbeth, and made to sit on a throne for a picture!) stole hearts, as it did prizes. The As You Like It stall , with its Forest of Arden setting, complete with grass, and impeccable role play, had the crowd intrigued. And the Romeo and Juliet stall was a stand out too, with its three-minute skit, and also a spin off of the original, a la Ram Leela!
Nikhil Pai, an English student says: “Jabberwocky is brilliant because it takes imagination and fun to the next level, while teaching you so much about your theme and your topic. It is a literary carnival like no other”. There were events too, besides the stalls, which were huge entertainers that made Rohit Shetty’s films look like documentaries. Shakespeare Spoofs was the crowd puller and featured rib-tickling spoofs. There was Romeo and Juliet with a Dostana-esque twist, or Orlando and Brutus femininely slap-fighting to ‘I’m a Barbie Girl’. The soliloquies were awe-inspiring and the costume parade once again got the crowd yelling in delight, with students strutting around, bringing the 16th century to life with their archaic makeover.
Joseph Felix, Professor of English Studies and convener of Jabberwocky says the Shakespeare theme was chosen “in commemoration of Shakespeare’s 450th birth anniversary. Shakespeare is someone who has contributed immensely to English Literature, and his themes are very relevant. His works will live beyond the 21st century, as long as there is man on the face of the earth. When you say ‘British Literature’, he is undeniably a major face of it”.
In all, Jabberwocky was a smashing fete that took literature to the next level this year, by celebrating the legendary playwright in the coolest of ways. And with the kind of literary creativity and artistry conjured up this year, the Bard himself would’ve been proud!
