Ajoka festival concludes

LAHORE: Ajoka’s “Azadi Theatre Festival” concluded with an exciting performance of spectacular political play “Chairing Cross” here at Alhamra.

The three-day festival proved an enormous success as audience from different walks of life, including Brinksmeier from German Embassy, theatre activists, performers and students from various educational institutes, attended the festival and enjoyed the powerful thematic performances in all three days.

Written and directed by Ajoka’s executive director Shahid Mehmood Nadeem “Chairing Cross” depicts major political and social changes on Pakistani landscape with Lahore’s Charing Cross as a witness in different decades of history and features fresh talent besides Ajoka’s regular performing troupe who all performed their roles flawlessly.

Acclaimed senior actor Arshad Durrani performed the role of famous political worker of Political Party “Saen Hara” and got standing ovation from the audience.

The festival was a continuation of Ajoka’s theatre events to mark the 70th anniversary of independence. On the second day, two young and dynamic theatre groups, including The Art Club of Agriculture University Faisalabad and Punjab University’s Makhotay Theatre, presented their plays revolving around the theme of independence and human dignity.

Makhotay theatre’s play titled “Ghulam” reflects the homeland’s history, culture and the sentiments related to mother soil. Agriculture University Faisalabad presented a mime performance based on message of peace, religious intolerance and discrimination against the girl child titled “Pursuit of Happiness”.  

Ajoka’s Executive Director Shahid Mehmood Nadeem said Azadi Festival also marked the 34th anniversary of Ajoka’s inception. He said Ajoka believes in promotion of new talent, that’s why two young groups were invited to perform in the festival and who presented fresh perspective about what “Azadi” means to Pakistan’s youth. He added Ajoka team will head to Islamabad next week where both play “Chaak Chakkar” and “Chairing Cross” will be performed in the auditorium of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).