The Indian Stage

CONTENTS VOLUME - I Introductory Chapter i The Legendary Stage 1 The time of Jarjara Festival 9 The time of Bharata 5 Sutradhara 20 Drama and the Rig Veda 23 Drama and the Upanishads 25 Post Vedic period 26 In the Budistic period 33 Archaelogical Evidence 39 Yavanika 46 Kalidas 50 Bhasa's Drama 62 List of Hindu Dramas 70 Early Bengali Dramatists 74 Greek Drama 79 The position of an Actor 83 Drama in Stone 86 Chaitanya period 89 Jatras 109 Jatras distinguished from Theatre 112 Krishna Jatras 114 Jatras in Bharat Chandras' time 117 Prama's Tukko 118 Premchand 119 Govinda Adhikary 120 Jatrawalas 123 Amateur Jatras 123 From Amateur to Professional 128 Gopal Ooray 130 Decline of the Jatra 133 Tastes in Jatras 135 Fusion of Jatras and Theare 138 Jatra in East Bengal 149 Krishnakamal 140 Mati Roy 142 Jatra in imitation of Theatre 143 Kavi 145 Antony Feringhee 146 John Halhed 148 Netai Das 149 Entertaining Europeans 151 Half Akhrai 152 Panchali 152 Kirtan 155 Bengali drama in Nepal 155 Bengali drama in Assam 166 At Manipur 169 PART II Play Houses 173 The Play House 176 The Calcutta Theatre 183 The Performance 187 Performance 190 Actresses 198 Harmeonican Tavern 205 London Tavern 206 Mrs. Bristow's Theatre 207 Poor Soldier 211 Other Artists 215 In Male Characters 217 Mrs. Bristows Departure 217 Lebedeffs' Bengali Theatre 220 Who has Lebedoff 231 The Site of the Bengali Theatre 232 Dramas and Dates of Performance 234 The Artists of performances 235 Prices of Admission 235 Other English Theatre 238 The Atheneum 239 The Kidderpur Theatre 239 The Dum Dum Theatre 239 The Baitakkhana Theatre 243 The Fenwick Place Theatre 244 The Chowringhee Theatre 246 The Sans Souci Theatre 268 The influence of English Theatre 276 The first Bengali Theatre 278 The Hindu Theatre 280 Nabin's Theatre 285 The Native Theatre 289 English Plays by Bengali Students 295 The Oriental Theatre 299 Summary 307 VOLUME - II Chapter I. The Early Bengali Plays. Bengali Drama - Chandi, Chitrayajna, Kalirajar Jatra, Kirtibilas, Bhadarjoon Bhanumati, Ramnarain's Kulin Kula Sarvasva Natak, (1856) 1 - 36 Chapter II. Bengali Dramas in the Mutiny Year Sakuntala at Chhatu Babu's House, Kali Prasanna Sinha's Vidyotsahinee Theatre Veni Sanhar, Vikramorioshi, Sabitri Satyaban. 36 - 52 Chapter III. Belgachhia Theatre Ratnavali, (1858) Sarmistha, (1859) Rev. Keshav on the Stage, Vidhavavivaha Natak (1859). 53 - 89 Chapter IV. Dinobandhu Era Nildarpana at Dacca (1860 - 61) Rev J. Long's prosecution (1861) 90 - 100 Chapter V. Three Aristocratic Theatres. Pathuriaghata (1865 - 1882) Jorasanko 1867, Sobhabazar 1864 - 69 101 - 130 Chapter VI. At Bowbazar Monomohon Bose's Ramabhishek Natak 1868, Sati 1872, Harischandra 131 - 137 Chapter VII. Opera Yatras, Other Theatres Padmabati 1867, Kichhu Kichhu bujhi 1867 Kabi-contests in Theatre. 138 - 151 Chapter VIII. National Theatre Dinobandhu's Sadhabar Ekadashi and Girish's Nimchand, Lillabati (1871) Public Theatre Nildarpan (Dec 7, 1872) National and Hindu National at Dacca. 152 - 225 Chapter IX. Bengal Theatre Sarmistha (16th Aug 1873). Actresses on Stage. Maya Kanon. (Aug 30, 1873.) 226 - 237 Chapter X. Great National Theatre. Bhubon Neogi, Kamya Kanon 31st Dec 1873, Mrinalini, Sati Ki Kalankini and Female actresses, 19th Sept, 1874. 238 - 252 Chapter XI. Dramatic Performances Act National Drama. Prince of Wales and Jagadananda Farces. Prosecution. Passing of the Act, 1876 253 - 292 VOLUME - III Girish Chandra The Man and the Moment Chapter I National Theatre at 6, Bendon Street - 1877-1883 Gloom after Dramatic Performance Act. Girish starts National Theater with Kedar Choudhury - Megnadbadh performance, Battle of Plassey, Beesh Briksha, Durgesh Nandini, N. T. at Dacca, Protap Jahuri purchased N. T. Hamir (1881) Mayataru, Mohini Protima, Madhabi Rabonbadh, Sitar Banobash, Abhimonyubadh, Pandober Ajnatabash. 1 - 36 Chapter II Star Theatre (at 68, Beadon Street) Gurumukh Ray proprietor - Dakshajanjna, Dhruba, Nala Damayanti, Middle-class-men proprietors - Chaitanya Lila Col. Olcott, Ramkrishna Dev, Bibaha Bibhrat, Lord dufferin, Buddha, Bilwamangal, Theatre-house sold to Gopal Seal, Star at Dacca, National Theater performs Anandamath-Girish at Emerald, Purna Chandra & Bishad. 37 - 85 Chapter III Star Theatre at Hati Bagan Girish's Nashiram, Sarala, Girish at Star, Profulla, Statement's reviews, Haranidhi, death of Bel Babu, of Kironbala, Chanda, Girish leaves Star, suits at High Court, City Theatre 86 - 112 Chapter IV Minerva Theatre (at 6, Beadon Street) Girish starts with Nagen Mukerjee as lessee, Macbeth, Mukulmunjara, Abu Hossien, Jana, Karametibai, Profulla, Girish leaves Minerva and joins Star. 112 - 140 Chapter V Girish at Star Theatre Chandrasekhar, Kalapahar, Mayabashan Religious Unity and India's only solution. 141 - 150 Chapter VI Other Theatres Beena Theatre, Emerald Theatre Mustafi leaves Minerva for Emerald. Ardhendu, Nilmadhab Chakraborty, Bengal theatre, City at Emerald. 151 - 174 Chapter VII Theatre in Gujarat Parijat Monjari of Madana, Ramchandra, Premanonda, Akhyans, Bhabais, Ranchhod Bhai, first social tragedy Parsees' attempts, Garabi, Dholsaji, Nanalal, K. M. Munshi, Chandravadan Mehta, author's ideals of National Stage, Girish Parishad. 175 - 186 Chapter VIII Marathi Theatre Harikatha, Lalit, Tamasha and Ramjoshi Sangli stage 1843 Vishnudas Bhabe, Kirloskar, Sakuntala, Trilokekar, Kalhatkar, Dewal, Khare, Balgandarva, Kelkar, Films. 187 - 232 Chapter IX Sanskrit Dramas 233 Chapter X Classic Theatre - Hariraj, Alibaba, Girish at Classic -Pandava Gourava, Mohendra Bose, Tincowri. 234 VOLUME IV. CHAPTERS Minerva Theatre. 1900 - 1904 Recapitulation of matters of all volumes and story of reconstruction by Chuni Babu. 1 - 27 Minerva Theatre. 1905 - 1912 Girish's position and his dramas 28 - 88 Minerva Theatre. 1912 - 1944 Mr. Upendra Mitra's regime and after. 89 - 111 Classic Theatre. 1900 - 1906 Girish Babu & Amarendra 112 - 124 Kohinoor Theatre. 1907 - 1912 Girish and Sarat Roy 125 - 131 Monmohon Theatre. 1915 - 1930 Dani Babu and Pandey 132 - 144 The Bengal Pavillion. 1901 - 1918 Aurora, Unique, National, Great National,, Thespian Temple 145 - 152 Star Theatre. 1899 - 1944 Including Art Theatre, Nava Natya Mandir and Mr. Upendra Mitra's Theatre 153 - 209 English Theatres of Calcutta. including Bandmann, Lang, Wilkie, Howard and Besa 210 - 224 Hindi Theatres. The Corinthian and Alfred Theatres 225 - 233 South Indian Stage Malabar, Tamil, Telugu, Kerala Stage 234 - 246 Sanskrit Dramas Nritya Gopal, Gispati Kabyatirtha Jarjara festivals by Asoka Sastri, &c. 246 - 251 Rabindra Nath on the Stage At Jorasanko, Santi Niketan and Empire Theatre. 251 - 259 Famous Amateure Theatricals Sangit Samaj, University Institute East Bengal Club and Alipur Dramatic Club. 260 - 271 Reformed Theatre. Mitter, C.A.P. Natyasree &c. 272 - 275 The East Bengal Stage, including other districts of Bengal Dacca, Vikrampur, Mymensing, Labpur, Kalia. 276 - 283 Natya Mandir and Mr. Sisir Bhaduri including his American tour. 284 - 300 Other Theatres. Natya Niketan, Sri Rangam, Rung Mahal, Natya Bharati, Mitra Theatre, Rup Mahal Addenda 301 - 320 Conclusion 321