Ever wonder what it would feel like to enter the ‘magical’ world of Harry Potter, with his cronies Hermoine and Ronald in tow? What if then, they’re paths crossed with Bella and Edward from Twilight fame, tunnelling through the transcendental creatures of the outset in Lord of the Rings?
Sprinkling some magic dust on this surrealistic setting, the Lahore Grammar School (LGS) Dramatics Society presented “Potterheads” a comedy of tripling proportions at Pakistan National Council of the Arts on Saturday evening.
“Potterheads” opens in a parallel universe (if you may) where the adventures of the wizard take a comic turn, followed by a whirlwind of tongue-in-cheek scenarios of musical quality. It is here that the eccentricities of wizards are reciprocated by stranger things. The quintessential wizard and his stolid friends transform into quirky beings, to vanquish the forces of evil at their school, Hogwarts.
A genuinely novel concept, the play incorporates memorable moments from the series, popular films and books, bringing unadulterated entertainment. The live performances of singing and music double the fun, chants and spells reminiscent of the series.
The LGS crew wowed the audience through spontaneity, uncanny comic timing and well enacted scenes. Striking all the right notes were Asfand Yar Warraich (Harry), Abdul Rafay Qazi (Draco Malfoy) and Ghazain Jamil (Lord Voldemort). Doubling as director, the crème de la crème actor Osman Khalid Butt (Professor Snape/Edward) left the audience spellbound with nuances and precision of his characters.
In a tête-à-tête, Osman told The Express Tribune, “I think both Harry Potter and Twilight are pop culture phenomena. Everybody knows about them.”
He added that they might not have seen the film and yet they are attuned to what the movie/book is about. So he found it an interesting concept to play with. Plus, he added, spoofs are generally well-received.
Following, Nit Wits (2008), a farce and Lights Out (2009), an American comedy, he had wanted to bring diversity and thought it an interesting idea to work with a really funny comedy.
When asked if he was a ‘Potterhead’, “I’m a die-hard Harry Potter fan. I think what made the concept so interesting was all of the online sources we took/borrowed from, incorporating our own jokes/flavour.” He said he had an in-depth understanding of what the series is all about and so did most of the cast, they’re huge fans as well. They came forward with their own ideas. That’s what made it worth, the characters were very relatable.
He added his play was inspired from “Wicked”, the book, which itself was a “wonderful retelling of The Wizard of Oz”.
The hall was jam-packed with mostly high-schoolers, filling up aisles, squeezing, pushing and hooting throughout the hilarious affair. An enthusiastic member from the audience said, “It was just amazing and I’m a huge fan of the play it was based on.” Given that it was a school play, the professionalism won the day.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2011.
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