FAISALABAD:
“We are so overwhelmed with the response of the audience. I had not expected that people would like a story based on old traditions so much,” Khadija Munir Ahmad, the Faisalabad Arts Council (FAC) assistant director, said on Friday.
Her comments came following a theatre performance organised by the Faisalabad Arts Council ended on Friday.
The play Laaray Bolday Nain (grooms are not expected to be chatty) was performed in Punjabi language to mark the International Theatre Day. It highlighted Punjab’s cultural traditions
The groom in the play has no role in the wedding preparations. The groom keeps a low profile and does not utter a word in front of the elders, who take all the decisions from choosing the bride to what kind of preparations are appropriate and on communicating with the bride’s family.
Talking to The Express Tribune, FAC Resident Director Mian Ateeq Ahmad said that the Council aimed at highlighting the forgotten cultural norms.
Besides focusing on entertainment, he said, the FAC wanted the play to be informative. Sardar Kamal, one of the actors in the play, said the performance was aimed at reviving the old traditions, where the groom and the bride did not interfere in the matters decided by the elders of the family.
“We wanted to give the youth a glimpse of how their elders lived their lives deferring to their elders,” Goga Ji, another actor, said.
The audience included a large number of families.
Naheed Khanum, in her 50s, said the play was a “true depiction” of the Punjabi society. Yasmeen, another viewer in her 30s, said times had changed.
“Nowadays, brides make a fuss if things do not exactly go as they want them, let alone the grooms.” She said brides these days made more undue demands to their families.
Ghulam Fareed appreciated the efforts of the FAC and their choice of theme.
“Not many people think or care about any longer,” he said.
He urged for more performances on the changing social norms and traditions to be staged.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2012.
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Very good news story. Congratulations It rarely happens that our English Language news media reports Pakistani stage performances. And if they do, often full of complains about below the belt "Jugats" but this news story forced me to think differently about the news media. By the way, the news story covers most the possible angles for this news item like inputs from directors, actors and audience but what is missing is the input form the director and play writer which I think are the key sources for the this news item.In spite of this pitfall, the news story is very good and according to Inverted Pyramid method of news writing. By the way if you are interested you can write an investigative news story on the exploitation of theater actors that how are being exploited by many influential individuals. Please keep it up and I would love to read more news stories related to our local stage performance.