On an empty stage: Students showcase power of imagination at PNCA play

Present problems facing people from different socio-economic backgrounds

ISLAMABAD: Students in an absorbing performance presented problems facing people from different socio-economic backgrounds at a play staged here on Saturday.

Students representing different educational institutions took part in the play, --- “Khali Stage” organised by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in association with the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage.

The play opened with a girl walking on the stage imagining different actors and then enacting scenes from various plays. Despite the guard reminding her that there was no one on stage, she envisioned imaginary characters because she just cannot fathom the fact that the stage was empty.

The girl envisions various scenes, which represented people from different socio-economic backgrounds and their problems. The scenes were excerpts taken from productions that had been staged earlier including “Exception and the Rule” by German writer Bertolt Brecht and “Khoobsurat Bala” by Agha Hashar Kashmiri.

While some performances reflected relative inexperience, others stood out and made their mark including Imtiaz Ali’s who played the guard, Lubna Shehzadi “Pari” and Bushra Masroor, who were not only confident in front of a packed audience but also played their roles to perfection.

The play also highlighted the significance of thriving theatre, art and culture. Considering the fact that the play was performed by amateur students and aspiring artists, it was an overall decent effort that stressed on issues such as social development, ethics and character building.

Dr Waqar Azeem, the programme organiser said that the play allowed students from various educational institutions to showcase their talent on stage.

He side that the play was an opportunity for the students to learn about the advance techniques of dialogue delivery.

Dr Azeem said that the play was a “dramatic collage” that brought together performers of different ages and backgrounds together.

The PNCA Director-General, Mohammad Naeem told The Express Tribune that even though the PNCA had hosted regular workshops earlier, this was the first time students had been given a chance to perform live on stage. “Even though the show is an experiment, it encouraged young and aspiring actors and we aim to continue doing so,” he added.

The programme organiser told The Express Tribune that the idea behind staging the play was to give confidence to students and to utilise their potential.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2015.