ACP announces month-long mega theatre event

The Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) on Monday announced a first-of-its-kind mega theatre festival in the country that will run for one month.

Addressing a press conference, ACP President Muhammad Ahmed Shah said the Pakistan Theatre Festival 2023 will kick off on September 8 and end after 30 days.

He said a total of 45 theatre shows would be presented during the festival in which 27 theatre groups from all around Pakistan will participate along with seven international theatre groups.

Veteran actors Munawar Saeed and Sajid Hassan also spoke at the press conference. Shah said the coming festival would be the biggest theatre festival ever held in Pakistan featuring theatre groups from seven foreign countries as well.

He said the festival will feature theatre productions in Urdu, English, Sindhi, Punjabi and Persian languages. The ACP president added that the coming theatre festival would become part of the legacy of other grand events of the ACP such as the International Urdu Conference, Pakistan Literature Festival and Youth Festival. He praised the role of media for promoting such cultural activities.

The productions scheduled be staged during the festival include Patriot & Abdullah, Through The Waves, The Police, Kanya (Sri Lankan dance), Biwi Ho Toh Apni, Taleem-e-Balighan, Trashedy, Both Sit In, One Night Stand Up, The Bobbles, Anhi Mai Da Sufna, Kaun Hai Yeh Gustakh, Insha Ka Intezaar, Saazish Ki Wajah Se Khel Multavi, Ken B Eniwan’s Story, Barsaat, Social Pagal, The Father, Gadha Mandi, Chandravati, Say No!, Nocturnal, Art Aur Aata, Ikhtiyar, Anarkali Se Aagay, Fareb, Sham Bhi Thi, Shab Bakhair Maa, Iranian, Ek Yaad, Zeest, The Finest Cutter and Love@70.

The ticket for the festival would be Rs1,000 for the general public, and members of the ACP will get a 50 per cent discount.