Brecht Theatre Festival: The rise of the Pehelwan

The story of Bala King is a social, political and historic reality narrated in hilarious fashion.

ISLAMABAD: The frenzy in which Hitler rose to power  saw this small time, idealistic thug capitalise on a broken system that slowly built into the Nazi movement , eventually positioning Hitler right at the top, ruling Germany as its Fuhrer. To Bertolt Brecht, this infamous rise and ensuing belligerence was cause enough to flee, though it provided the impetus behind his 1941 play, ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’, an allegory set using the 1930’s Chicago mafia.

Concluding the three-day Brecht Theatre Festival at the Ajoka Theatre was perhaps the funniest adaptation. We see Arturo, redubbed as Mohammed Iqbal aka Bala King, the leader of a group of pehelwans eyeing the big time. Adapted by Shahid Nadeem and directed by Madeeha Gauhar, the play which was originally performed in 1998, was staged here at the PNCA in the troupe’s farewell performance.

Taking its cue from the rise of a dictator, Bala King takes to study the rise of a crook, with Pakistan’s unfortunate circumstances being the perfect grounds for such infamy to thrive.  The aspiring Bala, a dimwit trailed by a retinue of thugs, need look no further than his own Taxali Gate in Lahore to see that strong arming and intimidation are all he needs to make it big.

The local transport unions are run by bent operators in cahoots with contractors trying to secure a multi-million rupee deal and their venal ways are inspiration to Bala. Revamping his image and touting a gang, ‘Bala Boss’ muscles his way into the protection racket, using his Bala Protection Agency as a cover to silent witnesses. Graduating to ‘Bala King’ he soon turns an eye to politics and glad-handing, offering his protection to any who can afford it. As he slowly enforces this, the inconspicuous Pehlawan becomes de facto ruler of Taxali Gate; the borough, his subjects.

Such compelling subject matter finds ideal satire and humour in this adaptation. It may indeed be a social, political and historic reality but, it does not spare you the laughs either.  In a very well-written and well-performed scene, the illiterate and déclassé Bala takes elocution lessons from a professional actor, trying to hone his street Punjabi into respectable Urdu. The actor reels off his dramatic techniques while the simpleton Bala plays along. It is one among many scenes that display the troupe’s talents.

The play focuses on the characters and their interaction, the rapid back and forths, a source of much humour. This time the stage is taken by Sarfraz Ansari, who’s guttural, witless Bala is a real jokester complimented by an even dimmer gang. Thankfully, the play does not lean upon too much song, its éclat lying in the comedy. In an inventive scene, a news report is presented by one the actresses holding up a TV frame, news hawker passing by and announcing the ‘Taza Khabars’.

Compared to the other plays in the festival, Bala King is truly the funniest. It does not rely on melody like Takey Da Tamasha but is not as well rounded as Chaak Chakkar.

That anyone with a mind to wickedness can make his way in this country and come out on top is expertly captured in this play, Brecht’s voice coming across the din, over the ages.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th,  2011.