ROYAL HUNT OF THE SUN

The Royal Hunt of the Sun is all about the tragic conquest of Peru by the Spanish.   It is the story of the defeat of an empire of over ten million people by a group of 167 men, through the eyes of Martin Ruiz, who is part of the Spanish expedition.  This play written by Peter Shaffer in 1964 is one among his other plays, which have been adapted to film.  In fact the screen adaptation of the 'Royal Hunt of the Sun', starring Robert Shaw, Christopher Plummer, Nigel Davenport and Leonard Whiting was made just five years after the play was written.

The major part of the play is about the intense battle of wills between Inca leader Atahualpa and Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro, who seeks the golden city of El Dorado in Atahualpa's realm.  The Sun God Atahualpa and Pizzaro develop a wonderful relationship. Pizzaro looks to Atahualpa for faith and hope.  Enchanted by Atahuallpa's belief in his immortality, Pizarro, who has rejected all other loyalties and beliefs, desperately attempts to find his own reason and meaning for life.

The play throws up the clash of cultures through the Spanish conquest of the Incas. In the words of a critic of the play, "...its expression is pure theatre: mime, language, spectacle, symbols...". It deals with the human tendency to form gangs, how people belong to these gangs, which can even be churches.   The play, which is based on true historical events in 16^th century South America, is a historical drama with more than its share of spectre and theatrics. 

It was this play that the Loyola Theatre Society chose to perform this year, stepping away from comedy and 'lighter stuff' to...well 'more serious stuff'.  Serious it was indeed though one has to admit that sitting through the nearly three-hour play on the stiff backed rickety Museum theatre chairs and having to listen to lengthy monologues and dialogues, which must have run into pages and pages was 'really tough'.  We somehow overcame the temptation to slip out during the break deciding to see the play through to the end when it ended a few minutes past 10 'o' clock.

Sameer Khalili, played Francisco Pizarro, the embittered, defiant commander of the invading Spanish forces.  George Matthew Philip as Inca Atahuallpa -the young Inca king, Sun god and ruler of a vast empire, impressed with his underplay and baritone voice.  Both Sameer and Matthew convincingly portrayed the deep and understanding friendship that grows between the two characters in the play after their initial spars.  Arjun Janakiram, as narrator Martin Ruiz impressed with his presence in the beginning stages, while Qhurram Hussain as the young Martin Ruiz was equally good.  The dance and choreography by John Britto's Artworx and the background score by 'Terribly Serious' Company were pretty good.

Though the actors would not have scored high on the critic's scale for acting, given that they had just four full dress rehearsals and just over a month's preparation, the effort needed to be appreciated.  Mind you, this is the biggest production in the history of the Loyola Theatre Society and with a cast of 38, it is no joke indeed. The play was directed by Mike a.k.a Michael Muthu.

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