Shakespeare in India

The following announcement of a grand Shakespearean performance a l’Indienne at a native place of entertainment was recently circulated in the city of Benares:

DON’T FORGET.
Well come. Well Come. Well Come.
The
Indian Empress Dramatic Coy,
of Benares,
at Madho Das Shamia’s garden,
Close to the Prince of Wales Hospital
Benares.
Will Give Performance
To Night! To Night!! To Night!!!
“Fasana Hosh Roba”
The Most Tragic Drama of Othello and
Desdemona with
Wonderful Scenes and Sceneries, Brill-
iant Dresses and Ornaments, Ge-
nius Actors and Actresses.
Come one! Come All!! Come Sharp!!!
and
See Young Dancing Girls with their
Dance and hear their Attrac-
tive Songs.

Gentlemen–With due respect and humble submission I beg leave to state that I have taken the contract on the —- instant, the piece chosen to be given is Fishanai Hosh-Ruba.

The last plot of the play is taken from Shakespeare’s famous play of Othello, and I stand guarantee that the play is a nice one and will be shown with the best scenes and scenery, made specially for this play, never think to be disappointed. The following scenes in this play are worth attentions and show the experience and skill of the painter:

1. The scene of Durbar fully decorated with chandeliers and other furniture.
2. The scene of Jungle and a long-bearded pious man’s coming out of the moon, and animal’s grazing in the Jungle and Othello’s hunting one of them down. All these sights would be to attractive to make mention of. They depend on seeing.
3. The scene of garden with a bridge, therein, and a river flowing from below. A very beautiful sight indeed. Sweet and melodious singing of the birds in the garden. The nauch party is held in the garden, several dancing girls charming the audience with their sweet songs and showing their best practice in the art of dancing.
4. Washerman’s scene–a river flowing by–two asses with a big bundle of clothes on their back–Washerman’s joke with asses. A very comic an laughable scene.
5. Tragic scenes toward the close of the drama will be so effective and touching the spectators shed tears–Othello’s going with a sword drawn and burying with anger near the bed of Desdemona, her apology and last words are very heart rending–her sighing and agonizing a painful sight.

To be followed by a very interesting and laughable farce of chunyan and munyan.

I promise to shore more than I have written in this program. Yours faithfully, Shaikh Abdul Gani, Contractor.