Nat¬i¬onal Academy of Per¬forming Arts (NAPA) has a strong and colorful history of giving theatre-goers the opportunity to see diverse ideas onstage. One such example is NAPA International Theatre Festival that has become a permanent fixture on the event calendar. And while it will go on, this time around NAPA will be presenting the first ever Karachi Laughter Festival 2018.
NAPA revealed the details about the Karachi Laughter Fest 2018, at a press conference that was held in Karachi recently. The fest, scheduled to begin on January 3 will go on till 14 and will be featuring plays from Lahore and Karachi as well as stand-up comedy, improv and dastangoi.
“The Karachi Laughter Fest 2018 will bring together some of the best new directors and actors - presenting diverse plays that will definitely cheer us all up. Along with stand-up comedy and improvs, this festival promises to be a joyful and exuberant event,” read a post on their official Facebook page.
The festival will kick off with the play Crash Landing that will run on January 3 and 4 at the Zia Mohyeddin Theatre. Directed by Napa graduate, Rauf Afridi, it is about a playboy, Jimmy, who is an architect based in Dubai. He is involved with three women, all stewardesses, and none of the women know about each other’s existence. Jimmy’s live-in cook, Mamoo, is the one who helps him in pulling off this ruse.
The next play Kya Aap Pagal Hain will be staged on January 5-6 and is directed by Aqeel Ahmed. It is said to be a classic romantic farce based on two couples and their desire to marry in the face of great parental opposition.
Other plays that will be staged during the 12-day run include Qissa Kahani, Don’t Laugh, I’m Serious; Burqavaganza; Chacha Chakkan; Lafro Returns; Jo Baat Hai and Dil e Nadan.
The fest will conclude with Larki Wonderful which is helmed by Faiza Saleem of Khawatoons (Pakistan’s first all-girl improv comedy troupe). Everything will be non-scripted and performed on the spot on the basis of audience suggestions. The show format is similar to Who’s Line Is It Anyway?
The line-up for the upcoming Karachi Laughter Festival 2018 sounds very promising so gear up to laugh a little in this New Year.
