16 years later, epistolary soulmates brought back to life in city

AR Gurney’s ‘Love Letters’, starring Imran Aslam and Rehana Saigol, being staged at Mohatta Palace

Karachi

Throwback to 1999, AR Gurney’s popular play “Love Letters” under the direction of Hameed Haroon, starring Imran Aslam and Rehana Saigol, was staged at the FTC Auditorium — but 16 years later the play with the same cast and direction left the audience yearning for just a little more of the epistolary romance.

Against the backdrop of the magnificent Mohatta Palace, the play, whose theme is quite self-explanatory, revolves around childhood friends-turned-lovers, namely Andrew Makepeace Ladd III or Andy (Imran Aslam) and Melissa Gardner (Rehana Saigol), who communicate throughout their lives, sans some estrangement intervals, by penning letters to each other.

Whilst it is a general perception that the play does not require much because it is more of a rehearse reading, many forget that reading out letters enveloping lives of two lovers from childhood to death requires just as much effort as needed in acting out scenes. Rather this can be very well be put parallel to the endeavour put in soliloquies or monologues.

The play which begins and ends with the same addressee, Melissa’s mother, embarks Andy and Melissa on a 50-year-old relationship which perhaps explores all that life has to offer, happiness, grief, anger, fright,  fulfillment, dejection and ultimately devotion. The two friends are not only presented in a setting where they grow up together rather they grow onto each other with one latching on to the other despite the difference in their social stature. What starts as a gay friendship transforms into liaison of dichotomies as Melissa hails from a wealthy yet dysfunctional family and Andy is a lad who has to live up to the dreams and aspirations of his parents. Melissa, who refers to Andy as a ‘dancing bear on a chain’ for his sheer obedience, also recalls that she has been dubbed as a ‘self destructive person’ by her own mother. Although it is Andy who proposes to Melissa, both of them do not realise the intensity of their love until much later when they become inseparable. As Andy goes on to become a successful politician, Melissa unable to keep up with the societal norms, excels at art only to fail at it later owing to her depression which takes a toll on her. Given that Melissa is not fond of writing letters as compared to Andy who loves doing so, it is interesting how Gurney harmonises both characters despite their meetings and phone calls, which are not too fascinating for them at the start.

The depiction of their undying and unrequitedly requited love remains timeless as does the style of writing which is indeed remarkable because the 145-minute-long play does not seem like a tiring one. Both Aslam and Saigol gave an outstanding performance with their spot-on elocution having the right pauses, both long and short accompanied by the stresses to bring out the exemplary conversation. The emotions be it affection, annoyance, jealousy, contempt, guilt or serenity could be distinctly felt thanks to the correct intonation at the exact time.

The monochrome pictures used to show the various stages in the characters’ lives had a striking effect so did the various musical interludes which lifted the overall mood. In an age where writing letters is a thing of a past, the play succeeded in capturing the essence of words which are needed the most to describe feelings of love and affection.

The duo of Aslam and Saigol, who shared the stage space in the previous production, was  indeed glad to be back as while the former said “it was good to be back on stage”, the latter thought “it got better every time”.

The play which starts at 7:30pm will have its last show tonight (Sunday) at the Mohatta Palace.