While for the video-game happy generation, the texture of the Bard’s English is as good as complicated calculus, Manga Shakespeare, which adapts works of the Bard into the graphic form with high visual content, is sure to come as a relief. British Council’s workshop ‘Shakespeare Goes Manga’ where students between 14 and 16 years of age are entreated to a dynamic, visually appealing version of the Bard’s dark brooding works. Emma Hayley, who has worked in various capacities as a journalist, film PR, and editorial director of several publishers in London, will be in city to conduct the workshop. “The teenagers will be introduced to the Manga versions of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet,” said Aparna Bhattacharya of the British Council. The idea behind the workshop was to get Potterphiles discover the charms of Shakespeare. “People of that age, might not be quite conformable with Shakespeare’s original language. That might act as a deterrent for them taking up Shakespeare’s works. However, the vibrant Manga version is perfect to get them interested in his works,” said Bhattacharya. Hayley would be taking the workshop participants through the texts accompanied by Manga visuals. The interactive session has also been designed with the objective to make the youngsters explore the characters and the nuances of the text. So, Hayley will be encouraging students to come up with their ideas about characters and will try to give form to visual equivalents. The high point of the workshop is that, it will help students think up creative ways of interpreting and even exploring a classic text.
