Pakistan Theatre Festival commences

KARACHI: The Pakistan Theatre Festival aims to revive the theater culture that has been fading away. This exciting festival began with a grand opening ceremony on Friday, September 8, creating a lot of anticipation and enthusiasm among people.

According to The Express Tribune, the opening ceremony commenced with two short plays, Abdullah and Patriot both written and directed by the talented Salman Shahid.

The reports said that the festival is slated to run until October 8 and promises a vibrant lineup of forty-five shows, engaging panel discussions, and enlightening workshops aimed at rejuvenating the cultural landscape.

Among the esteemed guests gracing the occasion were the renowned playwright Anwar Maqsood, Munawar Saeed, the Vice President of the Arts Council, and acclaimed actors including Usman Peerzada, Behroze Sabzwari, Javed Sheikh, Sajid Hasan, Hiba Bukhari, and Arez Ahmed among others.

Meanwhile, the ceremony was further elevated by the presence of distinguished political figures, including the Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, and Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman.

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Before delivering their welcome addresses, the President of the Arts Council Muhammad Ahmed Shah extended a warm welcome to all attendees, including esteemed guests, media representatives, and, most notably, theatre troupes from Pakistan, the United States of America, Turkey, Iran, and Germany, all poised to showcase their talents during the festival’s one-month duration.

During their speeches, both Shah and Tessori emphasised the critical role of arts and culture in the challenging economic times. Shah acknowledged the initial criticism of his decision to host a theatre festival in the face of economic hardships, asserting that despite the gravity of the situation, it is imperative for people to unite and engage in the arts.

On the other hand, Tessori echoed a similar sentiment, humorously noting that while actors may believe they have mastered the craft of drama, politicians often excel in their own theatrical performances on talk shows and television platforms.

The first two plays in the Pakistan Theatre Festival that marked the festival’s inauguration drew a full house of eager spectators. Abdullah a humorous portrayal of the complex relationships between the affluent class and their domestic staff, featured stellar performances by Yusra Irfan, Asma Niaz, and Omar Cheema. This was closely followed by Patriot, another thought-provoking production by Salman Shahid, which shifted the narrative from comedy to radicalism, subtly alluding to the political climate in a post-9/11 and Pervez Musharraf era.