‘Lend Me A Tenor’ turns into ‘Aasmaan Se Gira’

NAPA to stage theatrical comedy based on Ken Ludwig’s acclaimed classic


Rahul Aijaz September 02, 2016
Uzma Sabeen had brought Mere Saamne Wali Khidki Mein to the NAPA stage last month. PHOTOS: FILE

KARACHI: With the Arts Council Theater Festival yet to happen, the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) has taken the reins to keep churning out theatre shows for Karachiites. Their latest offering is Aasmaan Se Gira, an adaptation of Lend Me A Tenor, written by American playwright Ken Ludwig. The play has been adapted by Babar Jamal and directed by the academy’s faculty member Uzma Sabeen.

The original play is a comedy about an event manager who brings a young artist to replace an opera tenor who is found unconscious just before a big performance.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Sabeen shared the project revolves around false identities. “It’s a brilliant play, adapted from Ludwig’s Lend Me A Tenor,” she said. “We have attempted to localise it because in the original, it’s about an opera singer. Since we don’t have opera here in Pakistan, we have made him a folk singer, and something like Ranjha. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”



Another interesting aspect is that the original play had used black masks for a comic effect through mistaken identity. While the play was set in 1934, it was not meant to be racially offensive. However, such depictions could be deemed offensive today. Sabeen confirmed she does not plan on employing the same technique for her adaptation. As to what technique they intend to employ to depict mistaken identity, she said, “For that, you will have to come watch the play. We have done it through multiple techniques using costumes and make-up.”

As it progresses, the original play turns into a complete chaos and the confusion of who’s who becomes rather overwhelming. “We have a lot of different and hilarious characters. I was always interested in the play so it will be great to see how it works on stage,” she said. Sabeen added she is looking forward to seeing the stage come alive.

“We have tried to divide the stage into sections. You will see multiple spaces at the same time so you know what’s happening in each one simultaneously. The division has been achieved physically as well as through lighting. Also, the set is brilliantly designed. Besides that, we have incorporated songs in the play as well.”



The play stars Napa’s homegrown actors such as Ahmer Hussain, Taj Sameer, Shumaila Taj, Warqa Naz and Farhan Alam.

Aasmaan Se Gira is the first adaptation of Lend Me A Tenor in Pakistan. “It’s never been performed here before so we are expecting a good turnout,” said Sabeen. “What we have done is perform some comedies before. They are always received well. People really loved Mere Samne Wali Khidki Mein, which was staged previously, so we have high hopes with this one as well.”

The play will run between September 22 and October 2 at the academy’s auditorium.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2016.

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