Young At Heart

With the heat and humidity taking a bow for this season in Lahore, the cultural scene is all set to pick up; amid tight security of course.The Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) held its week-long 7th Youth Performing Arts Festival at the Alhamra Cultural Complex in the third week of October in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy and assisted by the Lahore Arts Council.

The response to the event turned out to be better than expected despite the air of despair that seems to have enveloped the country along with incessant power breakdowns. Admittedly, even the organisers were afraid of putting up the show due to the security risk and publicity was minimal to avoid unwanted attention.Some 13 schools, colleges and universities participated in the event that culminated with an award ceremony for the best entries. Admission to the event was free and it was heartening to see families flock to the performances. The event perhaps lacked only in punctuality as most performances were delayed by at least half an hour. This was due to the amateur artistes taking too long in getting ready to perform. Also, as the crowd turnout was more than expected, seating arrangements became inadequate and some events held in the tented camps saw people in huge queues lined outside the entrances.

Coming back to the entries, 10 musical bands participated in the gig night, five dance performances, seven mime performances and 18 plays in all. The 30 short films screened at the festival also included documentaries and music videos.

Ajoka Theatre staged Hotel Mohenjodaro about a flourishing society decaying due to selfish collusion, sectarianism and the swollen egos of those at the helm of affairs.Other notable plays in the festival included 3 Jones by Alif Adaab of the NCA about three upcoming heroes of Happy Town in the Wild West. The play was hilarious and the techniques used included shadows, video projections and stage drama. It was followed by a puppet performance titled The Smooth Puppeteers. The Maas Foundation presented Permeshar Singh based on the short story by Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi about a Sikh who saves a Muslim boy from Partition riots and thereby his religion. The play was applauded generously by the audience who related to the theme of humanity and love for all.Beaconhouse National University’s Char Gram Performing Arts Society presented Aath Bajay, a funny story about a young man who wants to become a professional cook but his family does not approve. He eventually wins his mother’s support when she is convinced that he would commit suicide otherwise. The play portrayed our society’s narrow mindedness to creativity unconventional pursuits in a comic manner. The play was well received.

The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi presented a creative performance called 8 Openings about eight individuals from completely different backgrounds who narrate their life experiences. Not knowing each other, yet their story is interlinked, something which is only revealed to the audience. The play had an interesting set concepts which included a very slickly shot video.The most hilarious play was by the GC University Faisalabad titled Heer Ranjha 2008, a modern take on the legendary folk tale. Heer was played by Rizwan Daawar who also directed the play. The sight of a guy dressed up as Heer and dancing to the late Malika-i-Tarannum Noor Jehan’s Mahi Aave Ga had people rolling with laughter. Jokes about rising prices, power breakdowns, mobile phones and teenage crushes were enjoyed by all and sundry, so much so that even the judges couldn’t keep a straight face.

The play by the Institute of Space and Technology, Islamabad titled Ibn-i-Kabeel oddly justified suicide bombings as a reaction to corruption in society. Madeeha Gauhar commented on the play by saying, “I was shocked that these students upheld the heinous act of suicide bombings by saying they were justified. Nobody under any circumstances whatsoever can be allowed to take innocent people’s lives. Coming from an educational institute of the country’s capital, this was very disturbing indeed. It was even more shocking to see the audience applauding the play which shows how twisted and negative we all have become, and how the TV news media has shaped our collective understanding of such situations to brutal immunity rather than empathetic action.”

The University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore’s Basti Daad was an enjoyable performance and the actors performed brilliantly, making one forget that they were amateurs. The play was about a small railway station that was soon to be closed down for trains due to thin traffic. It focused on the thoughts of the staff and the few passengers coming to the station faced with an uncertain future. The play made a beautiful symbolic reference to Pakistan.

Something notable in most plays (except for adaptations) was the frequent mention of inflation, power shortage, the dysfunctional judiciary and weak-willed politicians. The performers were discerning and witty on the collective morass befalling the country, such as in the play Leray Chor by the Islamabad-based Pattan Lok Natak. The story was about a thief who steals clothes from a policeman, a cleric and a politician and mingles with the common people to go unnoticed. The people finally identify the thief among them and give him a good thrashing.

On the contrary, western adaptations performed without adapting the story and setting to local flavour failed to find favour with the audience.

The article was published in Images, Dawn on November 9, 2008