Written by: Farheen Abdullah
Posted on: March 28, 2018 | 
| 中文
Escalus, the Duke disguised as a friar, Isabella, and Mariana
As part of its annual Theatre and Music Festival, being held from 15th to 31st March, National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) has been hosting international and local performances. With artists from Iran, Germany, Palestine, and Pakistan, the festival continues to entertain audiences through music, dance, and dialogue. Displaying a perfect blend of foreign content and local execution, the play ‘Jazaa Sazaa’ was performed on 26th March.
Translated by Khalid Ahmad and directed by Zia Mohyeddin, Jazaa Sazaa is the Urdu version of Shakespeare’s ‘Measure for Measure.’ Originally written in the 1600s, it is often referred to as a ‘problem play,’ because it’s a tragicomedy. The plot revolves around the fate of Claudio, who is arrested by Lord Angelo, the temporary leader of Vienna. Angelo has been left in charge by the Duke, who pretends to leave town, but instead dresses as a friar to observe the goings-on in his absence. Angelo is strict, moralistic, and unwavering in his decision-making; he decides that there is too much freedom in Vienna, and takes it upon himself to rid the city of brothels. However, as the plot unfolds, Angelo turns out to be not as devout as he appears. The play touches upon serious themes such as mercy, virtue, forgiveness, and the dichotomy between corruption and honesty.
It was a full-house with attendees like Talat Hussain and Azra Mohyeddin, and other theatre enthusiasts. Jazaa Sazaa immediately caught its viewers’ attention with the impressive stage and the characters’ costumes. The stage was efficiently used during scenes involving the Duke’s castle and the nunnery, while the attention to detail in the velvet attires and accessories of the male characters, perfectly portrayed a 17th century setting. What was particularly brilliant was the fluidity with which characters moved in and out of the audience’s line of vision, using the multiple exits on stage. This allowed for smooth changes in scenes, without any interruption. The use of lights also directed the viewers’ gaze to the appropriate spots, and was in perfect sync with the characters’ movements.
However, the play fell short on expectations on a few occasions. While the Urdu translation was spot on for the most part, occasionally the vocabulary became so literary that it was difficult for a layman to understand. Another instance which left the spectators somewhat disoriented, occurred in the very first scene; two of the characters had their back towards the audience, while the Duke (Bilal Raheem) delivered a quick speech in a style which made his dialogues seem rote-learnt.
Though the play only allowed for two lead female characters, Tehreem Shafique as Isabella, and Nataliya Karanji as Mariana, both acted brilliantly. While the first one managed to smoothly shift between displaying emotions of helplessness to hopefulness, and from being powerless to becoming determined, the latter captivated the audience with her monologue during the climax. Perhaps the strongest male actor was Suhail Ahmed (Angelo), who managed to remain calm throughout the play, with his body language and tone displaying the command his character has over his emotions. Even when Suhail was left alone on stage, he did not allow the audience to lose interest in his monologues.
While the two-hour long performance could have easily been cut short, it definitely lived up to the expectations attached to any play written or directed by Zia Mohyeddin. As NAPA continues to host similar performances, the festival is sure to keep its audience entertained.
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