ABSTRACT
Dwarakanath was enlisted as the only Indian member of the amateur dramatic society formed by the local British residents and contributed handsomely towards the setting up of at least two English theatres in Calcutta – the Chowringhee theatre in 1813 and the Sans Souci Theatre in 1840. In most of the productions following Sarodatsav, Rabindranath played characters that appeared, more often than not, as his spokespersons. These characters, almost archetypal in representation, played pivotal roles as poet, prophet, seer, philosopher, or many/all. The assessment of Rabindranath’s histrionic capabilities, particularly displayed through his impersonation of a character, assumes significance in the light of remarks made by contemporary eyewitnesses. On the one hand, there have been accounts that have time and again pointed out that he was always himself, even while acting a role. On the other, there have been reports which suggested that his acting could move through a gamut of widely different roles, each individuated with its own specificity.
