Depicting the bitterness of life

M/S Tiptoe Productions, comprising students of Lyceum, both present and past, staged a bilingual play, titled “The Silent Note”, at the Pakistan American Cultural centre (PACC) on Tuesday evening. 

Even though they all were very young and amateurs, the  cast displayed lots of promise and astute acting talent.  The Silent Note is an original story written by the founders of TIPTOE Productions.

It is a bilingual play about a dumb boy, Zaki, whose birth spelt his mother’s death. Zaki is the only child of his father, Arbaaz, who disowns Zaki the day he was born.  Arbaaz is a debauched man, who seems to have a heart of stone and just does not display the affection and attachment one would associate with a biological father.

Zaki tries to probe as to why his father has this totally unnatural hatred towards him only to find out that his father plotted to kill him along with his mother. Zaki, raised by his grandmother, cannot tell the truth as his grandmother, Bilquees, loves Arbaaz and the truth would spell her end. 

Zaki, being dumb, cannot convey his feelings and thoughts through words. Therefore, he chooses music to be his means of communication. He is an accomplished pianist. The reason behind Zaki’s fight against the world is Bilquees. However, death is inevitable, and so Bilquees dies a natural death. This leads the child to enter a state of cold, lonesome depression. Zaki takes his own life by poisoning his drink and his final act involves a piece depicting his life. 

It could be termed a play to some extent depicting a mix of existentialism and fatalism. Existentialism postulates that life, in its ultimate analysis, is just despair and futility, that ultimately all good things have to come to an end and that we find ourselves face to face with the reality that is futility. 

As for fatalism, the play just goes to prove the age-old belief, often dubbed a mere superstition by some, that all of us are captives in the clutches of fate, and that it is fate, or destiny that makes or mars a life. This is amply depicted by the misfortunes that befall Zaki so that every moment of life is just tears for him.

There are some highly praiseworthy scenes in the theatrical production. For one, the scene depicting the appearance of  his mother to him in spirit form and Zaki’s imploring her to stay on and be with him is one that would bring a tear to many-an-eye. It is a very well-managed scene technically. 

The play represents the inseparable aspect of our daily lives; love, hatred, hope and passion. Love is diluted; passion, hope and dreams are killed by the ones closest to us. The play revolves around these themes and aims at making the audiences aware of these bitter realities of life.

What is also a silver lining to a black cloud is Zaki’s musical talent and his proficiency in the piano (read portable keyboard). The play is directed by Sajwar Channa, with Syed Uzair Shah Bukahri as the co-director.