Palestinian stage play enthrals audience

KARACHI:

Palestinian theatre production 'As If It Were a Dream' by The Freedom Theatre, headlined the 36th day of the ongoing World Culture Festival 2025, drawing a large audience to the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi for a deeply affecting work.

The day blended political storytelling, artistic training, and cross-cultural music. Written and directed by Mo'men Sa'di, 'As If It Were a Dream' follows a young man navigating the Jenin Refugee Camp while clinging to the fragile hope of becoming an actor despite mounting loss.

The play used sparse staging and raw performances to underline how theatre becomes a form of resistance, with the protagonist discovering that words and movement can challenge fear, occupation, and despair in ways that resonate beyond the stage.

The hall rose for a standing ovation as the cast concluded a narrative that blurred the boundary between lived trauma and artistic defiance, turning the night's performance into one of the festival's most emotionally charged moments.

Earlier in the day, Mozambican sculptor Luis M Santos opened the workshop series with a hands-on session urging students to pursue creativity for its own sake, stressing that persistence rather than commercial value is the foundation of meaningful artistic practice.

Russian theatre practitioner Lidia Kopina then trained students in physical expression and vocal control, followed by Brazilian photographer Victoria Santos, who focused on storytelling through images and argued that instinct and curiosity outweigh expensive equipment.

German artist Alina Belyagin led a dance workshop highlighting connection between performers, while Barbadian painter King Kesia demonstrated colour-blending techniques to students from Karachi, Makli, and Sujawal during a well-attended fine art session.

The day closed with a vibrant Qawwali Night headlined by Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad, joined by musicians from Japan, Algeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Burkina Faso, whose collaborative set created one of the festival's most memorable musical evenings.