Kathakali dance in Fort Cochin. 

Kathakali is the official traditional dance of Kerela, and Fort Cochin is supposed to be the best place to see it (at least that’s what they tell the tourists), so we decided to go see a show. There were many places offering shows, and it was hard to pick. Eventually after picking a place we were lured away by an auto driver who said he’d take us to another place (with A.C.) that offered a show for the same price, but if he took us there he would get a tip from the theater owner. He offered to drive us for free (since he was getting a tip anyways). David was suspicious, but I trusted the guy, and in the end we went. At the time our show didn’t look like it was even going to happen. No one was there, which is probably why the driver was waiting. It was a little hard to grasp, but it all turned out to be true, and in the end everyone was happy. This is how bribing, tipping, bargaining ect. works in India at the best of times. A little strange, but in the end of the day just a different way to get what you need.

…so the show.

Insane plot…Evil demonress falls in love with a Prince in heaven, and makes herself look beautiful to attract him. They flirt. She says they should get married. He says: I need my father’s permission. She says: no you don’t. It will be so great. At that point he realizes she’s a demon, and her true ugly image shows. He cuts off her breast, and sends her back to hell. 

That was an abridged version of an abridged version, but what a sickening story. It’s so sexist that the role of the demonress isn’t even believable. Her personification, and everything she does seems manly. She is also played by a man (which doesn’t help). They could have   made her bad like a typical woman. What made it even more ridiculous (and entertaining) was that the host of the night who explained the story kept saying it was “A beautiful story”. It seemed like it must be a joke. How could he perceive it SO differently? Maybe I’m too harsh. Maybe EVERYTHING was just lost in translation.

Anyways the show was good. There were 2 actors, a singer, and narrator (sort of), and 2 percussion players. There are no conversational words in the dance. The story is told through a language of eye movements (which are enhanced by makeup), and hand gestures that connoisseurs of dance can interpret…so the translation we got was actually a translation of a story told through dance itself, not through a foreign language. It was pretty amazing to think of developing a language of hand gesture, and eye movements, and making a dance of it. I wonder if a deaf person (who knew sign language) would get more out of it.