‘Get your barriers down, relax!’

Theatre artist talks about importance of arts in life and tips on being a good actor.

Theatre artist Umair Rana suggests that the most important thing to learn before taking theatre workshops is to relax by ‘getting your barriers down’.

“You should learn to forget who you are,” said Rana while speaking on The Morning Show with Huma Amir Shah on Express 24/7. “We all have a child in us who’s free to do as he pleases.”

Rana has produced and directed around 44 theatre projects and will be conducting art and theatre workshops along with Najeen Iftikhar at Knowledge Factory in Lahore this summer. Iftikhar, an A-level art teacher, will be teaching visual arts.

While commenting on why many people lack confidence on stage, Rana said that people become scared more than they actually are. “There are two reasons behind this,” he added, “One is the fear of rejection and of being judged. Secondly, we forget that it’s simple.”

According to Rana, art in any form teaches people the basic eight skills of life that help them wherever they go. While Iftikhar, accompanying Rana on the show, said that it is important to do something in life that will bring your inner self out and she feels ‘art can really do that’.