Kin and Crown: When the stage became a kingdom

Every year, the Guild of Actors at SPJIMR (GaSP) turns an evening into something memorable. This year it felt less like watching a play and more like stepping into a court filled with doubt, loyalty and quiet tension.

Kin and Crown, inspired by Hamlet, was not just performed! It was experienced.

The journey started back in December. While most people were on vacation, the writing team spent their break shaping scenes, rewriting dialogues and figuring out how to keep the spirit of Shakespeare while telling a story of their own. Slowly, a script came together that felt familiar but still surprising.

Then came auditions. Hallways echoed with rehearsed monologues and nervous energy. After many performances and tough choices, a team was formed. From that point on, evenings turned into long rehearsals that stretched late into the night. Actors explored their characters again and again. The costume team created identities through fabric. The production team quietly created the world behind the curtains, and the music team added emotion where words paused. Every team gave its full effort, and over time, strangers became collaborators.

The event opened with an address by our Dean, Prof. Varun Nagaraj, setting the tone for the evening before the story unfolded.

Once the play began, the audience quickly settled into its rhythm. The narrative followed the familiar conflict of Hamlet, but the altered ending changed the emotional impact. The characters felt closer and more human. Some moments were powerful not because of loud acting, but because of silence. The MLS auditorium often went completely still before applause followed.

GaSP remains a fully student-driven production, with students managing everything from writing to final performance, supported by faculty guidance. What stood out most this year was the shared dedication behind the scenes as much as the performance on stage.

As the curtains closed, the audience paused for a moment before clapping, almost as if the story needed one more second to settle.

And the last line lingered in the hall and outside it: “To be or not to be.”