Theatre has been an integral part of the rich cultural tradition of the subcontinent which has been synonymous with the region....
theatre
“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” - Thornton Wilder
Theatre has been an integral part of the rich cultural tradition of the subcontinent which has been synonymous with the region’s folk tradition characterised by music and dance. In today’s world, movies are significantly outstanding in technology and popularity. With vivid special effects and unmatched sound quality, you will often find that movies are a popular mode of entertainment especially amongst the youth. On the other hand, while some may say that the golden era of theatre has passed, but fortunately, we are starting to observe a resurgence of sorts. While cinema is popular, live theatre has retained its viewership as a dynamic medium of entertainment.
After its huge success in Lahore, the team at Happy Owl Productions put together a classic musical theatrical play ‘Dracula’- a tale of love, loss and redemption - at the Arts Council Theatre Academy in Karachi, recently. The play was directed by Saihaam Gulzar Khan and Mahnoor Zaidi; produced by Maaz Khan Alvi and Ridda Ali.
It’s an adaptation of the novel, ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker - where the stereotypical vampire came from. The play starts with the medieval Count Dracula (Daniyal Ayat) in battle with an invading Ottoman army when the news of his demise in battle reaches the castle where his beautiful bride awaits. The news of his ‘death’ sets in motion the turn of events that affect many generations of Transylvanians and eventually leads to the capture of the young and beautiful Mina (Jahan Ara Chughtai) several centuries later, in London, along with her fiance Harker.
With the young cast and a few tweaks in the plot, this drama thriller was filled with romance, music, dance, action and much more. The audience was in awe of the performance of the play with artful music and dance performances by the cast and termed it a unique experience.
The team at Happy Owl Productions hopes to bring back theatre across the country, introducing state of the art graphics on stage. According to director, Saihaam Gulzar Khan, “I am passionate about theatre and film and I plan to revamp it across the nation. This project ‘Dracula’ is something really close to my heart. After a year of hard work, I can say my dream did come true and we got a great response in both the cities. I am really happy to have worked with such an amazing team. We have a lot more planned for the future.” Kudos to the team!
–Adeela Akmal
