Written by: Mahnaz Shujrah
Posted on: September 10, 2018 | 
| 中文
Pagal (Aneeq Anjum), Pehalwan (Mohammed Atif Nazir), Appa (Faiza Amin) and Gira (Danish Ali Khan)
The Alhamra Theatref Festival 2018 kicked off on 30th August and will continue till 11th September, with fifteen performances lined up by different productions. One of the most awaited plays was Ajoka Theatre’s Marya Hoya Kutta, which was performed on Saturday, 8th September.
Capt. Atta Mohammed Khan, the director of Alhamra Arts Council, formally welcomed the audience and spoke about how they’ve tried to make theatre into an inclusive, family activity in recent years. The effect of this initiative was evident, since the diverse audience ranged from families to individuals of all ages.
Marya Hoya Kutta is one of Ajoka's original plays, first performed at the Goethe Institute, in Lahore, 1987. The latest rendition was unique, in that all the actors were performing with Ajoka for the very first time. The play was the culmination of Ajoka's recent acting course, and it was a pleasure to see many talented new faces on stage. Written by Shahid Nadeem and originally directed by Madeeha Gauhar, this time the play was directed by their son Nirvaan Nadeem. The absence of Madeeha Gauhar will always be felt, but as Ajoka thrives, her essence remains alive.
Ajoka's plays often focus on social issues, and this performance was no different. Marya Hoya Kutta, as the title emphasizes, is about a dead dog discovered one morning in a mohalla (neighbourhood). Everyone notices the body, discusses it at length, but no one does anything about it, nor do they feel responsible for it. That night, a horrible stench wakes up the neighbourhood residents. As they come outside to find the source, they realize that the body of the dog has disappeared, but the smell remains. The dead dog is a metaphor for the problems within our society, which everyone can see, but no one takes a stand against.
Considering that this was the first performance of these actors with Ajoka, they were able to do justice to Ajoka’s standard of theatre. One of the main characters, Pehalwan (Mohammed Atif Nazir), the owner of a sweet shop, acted particularly well and brought a lot of energy to the stage. Gira (Danish Ali Khan), a young hairdresser, was another memorable character, who not only added humour but also won over the audience with his quirky remarks. The interaction of Pehalwan and Gira with the neighbourhood Appa (Faiza Amin), sets the background for the play, with other characters such as Maulvi Sahab (Matiullah Baig), Chairman (Mohammed Faisal Zulfiqar) and sweeper Juman (Mohammed Makki), entering and leaving the scenes. Another key role is of an alleged madman, Pagal (Aneeq Anjum), who tries to draw attention towards the dead dog, but due to his dishevelled appearance and behaviour, is continuously ignored. Aneeq Anjum’s acting as Pagal was phenomenal, and he stood out amongst the rest.
The set was fairly simple, which served the purpose of the play well, by allowing the audience to focus on the actors. Similarly, sound, lights and digital technology was used minimally, in contrast to the latest Ajoka productions. The wardrobe and styling of the characters was well developed and distinct, as each one represented a certain segment of society. The audience was able to relate to the conversations, as the dialogues often consisted of things we have all said or heard, making the message of the play stronger. The emphasis of the play was on the acting, and as always, the Ajoka performers outdid themselves.
Famous Pakistani actor, writer and scholar, Naeem Tahir, was present in the audience. At the conclusion of the performance, he was invited on stage to talk about the power of theatre, where unlike cinema, the actors and the audience build a connection in real-time. He pointed out that the play wasn’t merely entertaining, and that it’s deeper message should be understood. “Each and everyone one of us needs to be held responsible for the state of society. There should be a focus on finding the source of the stench, rather than covering it up with incense.” Since much of the play was in Punjabi, this clarification was welcomed by those who were unfamiliar with the language, and thus missed out on some nuances of the dialogues.
Overall, the hour long performance was an enjoyable experience, and one that left you pondering. Theatre has been on the rise in recent years, but Ajoka has been a constant force of activism for decades. Their acting classes regularly take place in Lahore, and participants of all ages can join in. Coming up at the end of the month is a theatre festival organized by Ajoka, to honour the memory of Madeeha Gauhar, and I am looking forward to seeing Ajoka do what it does best.
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