THE SWAN SONG – India

The Swan Song / Hamsa Geetham is conceived from the critically acclaimed work Bharatha Vakyam by award winning playwright G. Sankara Pillai. The Solo drama portrays the concluding reflections of a fallen artist after a life in drama, both literally and metaphorically. Once a celebrated actor, now in old age, suffering from blindness and being ignored by all, mirrors some of his best characters as they were presented during his golden days. Characters reminisced are Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello, Duryodhanan from the Hindu epic Mahabharatha; extended version includes Brihannala, the eunuch from the same epic.

The actor delivers his last words — an internal monologue — as he faces mortality. He reflects on life’s meaning, the roles he played, the betrayals, and yet the beauty of life with all its flaws. There is finality; but also, a poignant awareness, maybe even acceptance.