It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul –

Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!–

It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood;

Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,

And smooth as monumental alabaster.

Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.

Put out the light, and then put out the light:

If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,

I can again thy former light restore,

Should I repent me: but once put out thy light,

Thou cunning’st pattern of excelling nature,

 I know not where is that Promethean heat

That can thy light relume. When I have pluck’d the rose,

 I cannot give it vital growth again.

It must needs wither: I’ll smell it on the tree.

[Kissing her]

Ah balmy breath, that dost almost persuade

Justice to break her sword! One more, one more.

Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,

And love thee after. One more, and this the last:

 So sweet was ne’er so fatal. I must weep,

But they are cruel tears: this sorrow’s heavenly;

It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.

To Die Upon A Kiss: An Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello

Concept, Script, Direction and Choreography: Sadanam P.V. Balakrishnan

Cast and Crew: Othello: Sadanam P. V. Balakrishnan; Desdemona: Margi Vijayakumar; Iago:Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan

Vocals: Sadanam Sivadasan and Kalamandalam Rajesh Menon

Percussion: Chenda: Sadanam Jithin; 

Maddalam: Sadanam Devadas and Edakka; Thimila: 

SadanamAbhishek

Make-up: Kalamandalam Padamanabhan and Sadanam

 Srinivasan

Costume Design: Sadanam Vivek

To Die Upon a Kiss… is a Kathakali performance, based on the world famous tragedy Othello by William Shakespeare. Constituting one of the most prominent classical dance forms of India, Kathakali is characterised by elaborate make-up, face-masks and costumes. The characters presented edited scenes of Shakespeare’s play, touching upon the broad themes of downfall, betrayal and love.

Performed at Serendipity Arts Festival 2018 as part of Leela Samson’s curation of Dance projects