LAHORE: Ajoka Theatre is welcoming 2018 with a remarkable new political play titled “Charing Cross”. A spectacular musical epic primarily based on the major political and social changes on Pakistani landscape with Lahore’s Charing Cross as a witness.
The play is written and directed by Ajoka’s executive director Shahid Nadeem. It will have preview show on 30th January evening in Alhamra Hall No 1 and will continue for two more days till 1st February.
Rehearsals are in full swing at Ajoka‘s Cavalry Ground office. Wahab Shah has choreographed the dances while Music Director M Aslam has composed the music. NCA’s Aqeel Kazmi has designed the set. Talking about the play, Shahid Nadeem said that Charing Cross, is not just about the place called by this name renamed as Faisal Chowk, but about the city of Lahore and broadly speaking about Pakistan.
The play takes its audience on a whirlwind journey into Pakistan’s political history and enables them to take stock and experience the events, the stories of shattered dreams and undying hope.
Charing Cross is a salute to the resilient and optimistic spirit of the people. The production reflects this spirit through song, dance and humour while narrating grim and sorrowful tales, something which Ajoka has attempted to do over past 33 years, he concluded.
The play features new talent besides Ajoka’s regular performing troupe. The newcomers were selected through auditions who are being trained while rehearsing. The play also carries some soul stirring songs and poetry and famous poetry written by literary giants of the era.
The cast includes Arshad Durrani, Usman Raaj, Sohail Tariq, Muhammad Qaiser, Muzammil Shabbir, Hina Tariq and Nabeel Butt. Newcomers include Mehreen, Kanwal, Muniba, Fahad, Imran and Asad.
The play is being presented in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council and will continue till 1st February and will travel to other cities later. Famous for venue of historic rallies, eventful corner meetings, impressive sit-ins, candle-lit vigils and anti-government protest for decades, Lahore’s historic Charing Cross is situated in the middle of the 8km long Mall Road and is just metres away from the 1935 Punjab Assembly building, the 1914 Shahdin Building, the Lahore Zoo, the Punjab Chief Minister’s office (housed in the 1914 Masonic Hall which was closed in 1972 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto).
A grand statue of Queen Victoria had also stood at the Charing Cross once, but it was shifted to the Lahore Museum in the 1970s and replaced by a wooden model of the Holy Quran. According to historians, Lahore's Charing Cross shares its name with the Charing Cross in London, which is situated just south of the Trafalgar Square. A village by the name of "Charing" is also located near River Thames in London.