Raise the curtain: Performing arts festival makes a return after five years

More than 90 productions will be showcased until Sunday.

LAHORE:

The Youth Performing Arts Festival on Thursday opened its doors to audience at Alhamra Cultural Complex after a hiatus of almost five years.

Several performances were held on the first day of the festival organised by the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW).

The festival, introduced in 2001, aims to provide the youth with a platform to exhibit and polish their performing arts skills. This year the festival is celebrating its 13th edition.

“We started the activity more than 12 years ago. It was the only platform at that time providing the youth with an opportunity to put forward their creative and artistic talents,” said Aleena Peerzada, creative director of the festival.

Peerzada said performing arts were flourishing across the country, especially at educational institutions.

“Various youth groups and educational institutions are now offering platforms for the youth to show their creativity. No major arts festival has been held in the city in recent years.”



The organisers say this year’s festival will be the largest offering more than 90 productions by 1,000 students from 40 educational institutions of Lahore, Bahawalpur, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jamshoro and Karachi.

“Students from schools, colleges and universities across the country are participating. Our aim is to make sure that they have a proper platform to exhibit their creativity and artistic skills,” Peerzada told The Express Tribune.

Several performances will be held simultaneously starting 4.30pm everyday.

The festival will conclude on Sunday.

Peerzada said the participants would be awarded in five categories. These are film, dance, music, theatre and junior performers.

“We are aspiring to give the youth with an opportunity to not only learn but also gain confidence by interacting with other artists. This will be a larger than life experience for them,” she said.

Peerzada said they were happy to arrange the festival at Alhamra Cultural Complex, Gaddafi Stadium – the venue that has held the event for years.

The festival was last arranged at Alhamra in 2007. Its three halls can accommodate nearly 1,000 people and the open air theatre around 1,500.

Since 2009, the festival has been arranged at a much smaller scale at the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop.

“We are ecstatic for being able to reach out to our audiences. It is a very emotional moment for us,” Peerzada said.

She said the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop planned to hold the festival annually. “The organisers are keen to make it an international next year,” she said.

A slow start: Ten performances, low turnout on first day

Ten performances, including mimes, theatre and music, were staged on the first day of the festival. Students from the National College of Arts, the City School Boys Branch Model Town, the University of Lahore and the Beaconhouse National University exhibited their talent at Alhamra Cultural Complex.

Some performances were delayed and the turnout was low. The dramatics club of the University of Lahore presented a show, titled Katputli. The 15-minute play was based on true events highlighting the issue of girl child being abandoned in society. It is about a puppeteer Bakhtu who adopts a mentally and physically challenged girl abandoned by a rich man. The theatre picks the story when the girl turns 16 and is in need of medical treatment but Bakhtu lacks money.

NCA’s team of Alif Adab captivated the audience in Hall 1. The play revolves around two blue-collar lovebirds and their struggle in life. Other dance performances were held at the open-air theatre. The festival will continue until October 19.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2014.