Has theatre in Lahore had its final curtain call?

The Weekend Theatre Festival seeks to revive a dying scene.

LAHORE:

Over the last three years, theatre output has reached an all time low in Lahore. Something has changed in Lahore, says veteran actor Karen David. “There is a dearth of actors, and a shift has also taken place in the whole country, with an emphasis on promoting Urdu plays. We have to use a lot of senior actors for projects, and the search for newer talent is somewhat like American idol — holding a lot of auditions and trying to connect with as many new people as possible.”

David is not sure what exactly happened to Lahore’s once vibrant alternative theatre scene, which saw directors like Shah Sharabeel put on massive theatre productions the likes of Bombay Dreams and Moulin Rouge; raising the bar for English theatre and bringing in respect for actors and directors alike.

“There has been a shift  — many young theatre people are focused on Urdu productions. For me, I have always been more comfortable with English, but the trends and emphasis have changed,” says David.

The fundamental issues that plagued the prolific period of early 2000-2009 appear to have festered. Speaking to The Express Tribune in an old interview, Sharabeel had lamented that no one considered theatre as a full-time profession, and the government would ultimately have to patronise it to ensure it sustained itself. This phenomenon might be one of the main factors responsible for the current situation of theatre in Lahore, but it certainly doesn’t appear to be the only one.



Vasay Chaudhry’s career started out in the developing theatre scene of the late 90s, a time during which he wrote and directed plays such as Jutt and Bond. Since then, his career systematically evolved from theatre, to television, and now to films. He says that in 2001 alone, nearly 48 plays were performed at the Al-Hamra Arts Complex. He has said that the failure of alternative theatre to sustain itself in Lahore was due to its inability to encourage a self-sustaining market.

“What I have found to be a common issue between commercial Punjabi theatre and what is happening in Karachi is the element of ticket sales,” says Chaudhry. “A complaint that Nida Butt had voiced when she brought her productions to Lahore was that the audience simply never want to pay for a ticket and have become accustomed to subsidised shows.”

Recalling his own adventures in the theatre world, he said that developing a business model was a critical aspect; one that is often overlooked. As a student, he looked to ticket sales to cover the cost of making the play while sponsorships would be considered an added bonus. What Sharabeel did was pioneer a model which was dependent on both attaining corporate sponsorships and a subsidised environment.

There are hopes for a revival of this once vibrant alternative scene, as the much-hyped Weekend Theatre Festival approaches. Organised by Kanwal Khoosat, daughter of actor Irfan Khoosat, the event seeks to tap into the vast network of theatre veterans in the hopes of inspiring new talent. The festival will explore Lahore through the lens of its theatre by organising performances in various locations across the city, including the Lahore fort and the Expo Center. The event includes plays by Sarmad Khoosat, Sohail Ahmed, Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha, Naila Jaffri, Samiya Mumtaz, Nighat Chaudhry, Nauman Ijaz (who is set to make his theatre debut), and Irfan himself, along with many others on the agenda.

“We are putting our best effort forth to inspire another revival in Lahore,” comments Irfan. “Karachi has consistently had theatre for the last four years, this a first attempt [in Lahore], the hope is that we can make it affordable, and that it connects with sponsors as well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2013.

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