Theater: Ambitious but absurd

Team of The Bald Soprano talks about making the audience feel what they feel by making them think out of the box.

KARACHI:

While big budget plays with clichéd storylines hit theatres in Pakistan regularly, some directors continue to challenge themselves by giving the audience unconventional stories. The Bald Soprano, by the Romanian playwright, Eugène Ionesco, greeted the audience with a bizarre, yet, thought provoking performance at National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) on Friday, June 13.

Director Ali Junejo wants to use the meaningless, carefree nature of the play to deliver an insightful message to the audience. “I want us to think and question things without being afraid,” says Junejo. The director stressed on the importance of performing pieces of literature rather than putting up stereotypical shows to attract the audience. “I think the purpose of staging this play is complete, as long as we enjoy and fully reel into our characters.”

The Bald Soprano is based on linguistic exercises; therefore, playing around with the delivery of dialogue is an essential element of the play. “Language forms how you think and how you absorb from the surroundings. This certainly is the idea our plot is based upon,” says Momin Zafar, who is playing the character of Mr Martin in the play.

Napa has always provided its students and faculty with international exposure and this play seems like an effort on their part to show the diversity in Pakistan’s existing theatre scene. “Such plays are happening all the time in various parts of the world; it is for us to consider how we bring the edifying nature of international literature to Pakistan,” Junejo tells The Express Tribune.



While the sole purpose of art is usually perceived to be limited to entertainment, its roots spread deeper into the souls of those introspecting it. “Art speaks to people. It is a lot more direct since it empowers voice and opinion ingeniously,” explains Natasha Ejaz, who is performing for the first time in Karachi. Drawing attention to the wacky essence of the play, Natasha believes the message her team aims to send across to the audience is to feel free and not take life too austerely. “Stop taking things so seriously, ease up and breathe for life itself is a comedy of errors,” she says.

Taking into account that the cast features young and aspiring actors, it is undoubtedly a venture that encourages youth participation in theatre. “We don’t know what the future holds,” says Junejo, “the idea is to find a talent pool and keep revolving.” Junejo, the writer of The Man on a Black Horse further revealed that he plans on continuing to work on similar plays in future and with the passage of time the public will also gradually realise the worth of unconventional literature. “We have to work on such difficult pieces. If we don’t start pushing up, the audience will never realise their impact on our lives,” adds the director.

Despite the rapid growth of the theatre industry, there is still a dire need for promoting unorthodox literature and fostering young talent into taking up such ventures that keep the true spirit of performing arts alive. The Bald Soprano will run till June 20 at NAPA.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2014.

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