Re-localising Shakespeare in Pakistan: A Post-Dramatic Appropriation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew as Illaj-e-Zid-Dastiyab-Hey

ABSTRACTThis research examines the political nature of appropriation in Pakistan’s theatrical production Illaje-Zid-Dastiyab-Hey (2012), an Urdu adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew (1590). During the Cultural Olympiad of 2012, the play was presented at London’s Globe Theatre under the direction of Haissam Hussain. The study investigates how the use of appropriative techniques enables the playwright to portray Pakistani identity and uphold the country’s cultural heritage. The paper argues that by contextualising and appropriating the work within the specific cultural and social milieu of Pakistan, the appropriated play strives to foster a sense of local identity and promote a deeper understanding of Pakistan among a diverse global audience. It accomplishes the above by analysing the changes in plot structure, symbol and sign display, musicalization, dance, and multimedia installations in the live performance of the Pakistani variant using Hans Theis Lehmann’s Post-dramatic theory (1960). Moreover, the study also examines how Hussain’s adaptation departs from conventional drama from a post-dramatic perspective. In addition to localising the play, this approach also enables a broader appreciation of Pakistan’s unique cultural heritage by depicting its cultural traditions and historical legacy.KEYWORDS: LahorePakistani cultureindigeneityUrdu and Pashtu languagesmusical instrumentsShakespeare’s Globe Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Buckley, ‘An Equal Partnership’, 81.2 Ibid.3 Shahid, Shakespeare Gets a Pakistani Makeover, 68.4 Hutcheon, Theory of Adaptation, 103.5 Marsden, Appropriation of Shakespeare, 1.6 Abad, ‘Appropriating Shakespeare’, 5, 8.7 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre, 24, 92, 141, 81, 92, 131, 35, 131, 21, 141, 91, 62, 89, 86, 89, 85, 91.8 Bulman, The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and Performance, 129, 423, 581.9 Crossley, Woods and Pinchbeck, Active Experiencing in Postdramatic, 146, 153, 159.10 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.11 Carlson, ‘Postdramatic Theatre and Postdramatic Performance’, 577–95.12 Ibid.13 Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, 470.14 Ibid.15 Pakistan Pashtuns.16 Shakespeare in Urdu, 149, 155.17 Shamsi, BBC Urdu News.18 Sharif, ‘Literary and Linguistic Exploration’, 78–89.19 Khan, University of Mianwali.20 https://dpomwi.punjabpolice.gov.pk/district_overview21 Iqbal, Shakespeare’s Globe.22 Sharif, ‘Literary and Linguistic Exploration’.23 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.24 Mohammad Muazzam Sharif, ‘Critique On The Presence’, 4333.25 Systems, Pakistan Development Perspective.26 Sheehan, Cultures of the World.27 https://bcmcr.org/culturaltranslation/tag/homi-bhabha/28 Bhabha, ‘Postcolonial Authority and Postmodern Guilt’, 56–96.29 https://bcmcr.org/culturaltranslation/tag/homi-bhabha/30 Bhabha, ‘Postcolonial Authority and Postmodern Guilt’.31 Abad, ‘Appropriating Shakespeare’.32 Shakespeare, W. The Taming of the Shrew.33 Iqbal, Shakespeare’s Globe.34 Art of Pakistan.35 Britannica. Arts & Cultures.36 Kaur, Understanding Karna through dastangoi.37 Bhabha, ‘Postcolonial Authority and Postmodern Guilt’.38 Farooqui, Dastaan-E-Dastangoi.39 Dastaan Goi, ‘Art of Storytelling’, 51–57.40 Hassan, Dastangoi.41 Folk Tales of Pakistan.42 Iqbal, Shakespeare's Globe.43 Khan, ‘Taming of the Shrew’.44 Iqbal, ‘Development Of Sustainable Strategies’.45 Fagles, Sophocles. Oedipus Rex, 124.46 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre, 141.47 Ibid, 81.48 Ibid.49 Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew.50 Ibid.51 Ibid.52 Ibid.53 Ibid.54 Iqbal, Shakespeare’s Globe.55 Travel & Culture Services.56 Jalil, ‘Lyrical Tradition’, 82.57 Government of Pakistan, Broadcasting and National Heritage.58 Iqbal, ‘Music in Pakistani Culture’, 11–16.59 BBC News, 2022.60 Travel & Culture Services.61 Iqbal, Shakespeare's Globe.62 Naru, Pakistan Today.63 Iqbal, Shakespeare's Globe.64 Ibid.65 Fischer-Lichte, Routledge Introduction to Theatre, 41.66 Lavery and Gough, ‘Introduction’, 40.67 Njaradi, Performance and Ethnography, 30.68 Khan, Keeping Kathak alive in Pakistan.69 Ibid.70 Cambridge Dictionary.71 Oxford Learner's Dictionary.72 Iqbal, Shakespeare's Globe.73 Ibid.74 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.75 Ibid.76 Ibid.77 Ibid.78 Ibid.79 Ibid.80 Crossley, ‘Active Experiencing’,81 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.82 Schechner, Performance Theory, 85.83 Power, Presence in Play.84 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.85 Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew.86 Iftikhar Dadi, ‘Lithographic Assemblages’.87 citybook, Traditional Dresses.88 Khan, ‘Shakespeare Round the Globe’, 143–53.89 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.90 Crossley, ‘Active Experiencing’.91 citybook, Traditional Dresses.92 Ibid.93 Fischer-Lichte, Routledge Introduction to Theatre.94 Travel & Culture Services.95 citybook, Traditional Dresses.96 Ibid.97 Naiha, ‘The Khussa’.98 citybook, Traditional Dresses.99 Fischer-Lichte, Routledge Introduction to Theatre.100 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.101 Ibid.102 Ibid.103 Ibid.104 Jalil, ‘Lyrical Tradition’, 82.105 Ibid.106 Abad, ‘Appropriating Shakespeare’.107 Shakespeare in Urdu.108 Yousaf, ‘Global Shakespeare’.109 Lehmann, Post Dramatic Theatre.110 Carlson, ‘Postdramatic Theatre’.111 Schafer, Shakespeare Beyond English, 258.112 Khan, ‘Shakespeare around the Globe’, 450.