Theatre may not be the go-to entertainment option in our part of the world but it’s one of the very few genres that allow one to experience live performances.
The festival will feature performances by local and international artists.
Theatre may not be the go-to entertainment option in our part of the world but it’s one of the very few genres that allow one to experience live performances. While we have theatrical performances taking place in the city every now and then, NAPA International Theatre Festival has become a permanent fixture that takes place annually in the first quarter of the year and brings forth numerous plays for theatre-goers.
For the festival, National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) collaborates with artists and directors from all over the world who work with local performers to create novel acts. This time around the event, which will run from March 16 till April 2, will feature 24 unique performances by both local and international artists from Palestine, Germany, Italy, Nepal, England and America, amongst other regions. The remaining 14 theatrical and five musical performances will be presented by Pakistani artists. The list of international names is growing with the passing of each year, which proves the increasing credibility and diversity of the festival.
The NAPA International Theatre and Music Festival 2017 will open with a contemporary dance performance from Germany called Hotel Propaganda. Other works of art that will be shown during the 18-day span include a new production titled Hamlet, from Kathmandu, Nepal while artists from Italy will present a performance of Commedia D’ ell Arte. Aside from these, a play called Return to Palestine will represent Palestine at the festival whereas a play titled Proof will mark the collaboration of Pakistani and American artists. This is the first time a Palestinian arts group will be performing in Pakistan.
Moving to local theatre productions, there will be five new plays written by young, aspiring thespians from Karachi and other plays representing the work of artists from Karachi and Lahore that have been performed before. The line-up from Lahore includes Absolute Manto that stars stellar performers such as Irfan Khoosat, Sania Saeed, Sarmad Khoosat and Feryal Ali Gauhar in addition to a new play, Gaon mae Roshni, by Tehrik e Niswan directed by Sheema Kirmani and Anwer Jafri.
Other productions that will be a part of the festival according the program schedule released earlier this month include Sunil Shanker’s Chup, Joshinder Chaggar’s Wash Yourself of Yourself, Zain Ahmed’s Ikhtiar, Fraz Chhotani’s Gardish-e-Rang-e-Junoon, Uzma Sabeen’s Aesay Hi Chalta Hai, Ahsan Shabbir’s qawwali Aaj Rang Hai, Hassan Raza’s Jaloos and Arshad Malik’s Insaanwar among many others.
The festival is not just limited to theatrical performances as the name suggests. It will also feature musical performances from a range of artists that aim to showcase the diversity of the city of lights, Karachi. Their music will incorporate a wide of range of styles that will portray the ethnic and linguistic diversity of the city. Some of the much anticipated music performances to look forward to in the festival include that of Allama Iqbal’s ‘Shikwa Jawab e Shikwa’ by Nafees Ahmad, Arsalan Parvaiz’s Music Must (contemporary), Nigel Bobby’s Nai Rang (Pop & Rock) and Haider Ali Chao’s Music Mela (Folk).
The line-up for the upcoming festival that includes local and international artists looks promising. It is all set to begin from tomorrow which means the citizens of Karachi will have an added option to their list of activities in the coming days.
