Comic relief: Street theatre in Korangi leaves young audience in fits of laughter

The event featured skits based on themes of various social issues.

KARACHI: While the rest of the city was stuck in never-ending traffic jams, the young residents of Korangi, some accompanied by their parents, were laughing their problems off in a marriage hall.

The audience, largely comprising children, was in fits of laughter over the comic portrayal of everyday problems, such as power cuts, scarcity of water, involvement of elders in children’s squabbles and muggings. The event, aimed to promote a culture of peace and tolerance, was organised by the Karachi Youth Initiative (KYI), in collaboration with Zahrsss Productions. It featured theatre plays performed especially for children at a marriage lawn in Korangi
No. 5½ on Monday.



“I have visited this hall previously for weddings but it was never this much fun,” exclaimed five-year-old Hanan. He was hoping his mother wouldn’t come to pick him up before the performances were over. “Have you seen my mother?” he asked his friend, Shan. When the latter replied in the negative, both stood up from their chairs and started applauding the performers in excitement.

With witty punch lines and the reconstruction of carefully observed scenarios, the performers highlighted the issue of how motorcyclists tease young girls on the roads. The performers managed to hit all the right notes much to the amusement of the young audience. “Maa ko le kar chalta hon tou pata hi ni chalta, tujhay le kar chalta hon tou lagta hai pora Karachi sath chal raha hai (When I travel with my mother, I rarely feel noticed. But when I take you somewhere, it feels like the whole city is travelling with me),” quipped a performer, who was travelling on a motorcycle with his sister and had stopped at a traffic light during the act.

Naila, a young mother who attended the event with her son, remarked that she was pleased to see the children enjoying themselves as they rarely get a chance to do so in a safe environment. “We abandoned our routine work for the day so we could enjoy the evening and they have not disappointed us,” she smiled.

“Children keep asking us to take them out for recreational activities,” said Shahnaz, who was enjoying the theatre and keeping an eye on her two children. “This is no less than Eid for the children. Just look at their happy faces and the energy in their shrieks of laughter.”

The theatre group’s leader, Zakiullah Khan, revealed that it was their 30th performance in Korangi within a month. The group mainly performs skits on issues that affected the local community, such as water and electricity — something the children can relate to. “We don’t touch on political, ethnic and religious issues to avoid any untoward incidents. The surroundings don’t allow us to do so.”

A female group member, Aasia Khan, said that the group was making efforts to spread awareness about social issues through their performances. “We go on stage keeping in mind that we have to promote positive things. We consider it our responsibility.”

KYI and Zahrsss have been performing street theatres based on themes of peace, tolerance and diversity in violence-stricken towns of Karachi since 2008.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th,2013.