Matinee show fails to attract crowd

Delaying tactics of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) administration did not prove fruitful to muster up the twin cities’ theatre art lovers at its auditorium where the administration delayed the show by around 40 minutes, but there were hardly 150 spectators to watch stage play ‘Raastay’ produced by ‘The Entertainers, Rawalpindi’ on Saturday.
This bilingual play (Punjabi/ Urdu) ‘Raastay’ was the sixth one in the PNCA to promote theatre and artists from across the country.
The administration had scheduled the play at 3:00 pm but at that time there was not a single performer on the stage while the auditorium seats were occupied by just over 100 persons – majority of them were the PNCA lower grade employees.
‘Raastay’ was the first play included in the matinee show scheduled on weekend, but it was surprising that the public did not bother to participate in the event even on a holiday.
When asked, Hassan Abbas Raza, the coordinator of festival, said it was the first ever matinee show experience, which proved to be a bitter one, adding that they did not know the reasons behind the failure, although the auditorium was packed during previous plays. “That is why we have to delay, it but it did not work for us,” Raza said.
Those who watched the previous play “Shadi Ho To Aisi’, produced by ‘Stage Artists Welfare Society’ Rawalpindi, were seen leaving their seats because of the identical start of ‘Raastay’ – with similar discourse at the initial stage when a ‘barbar’ repeated the same comedy dialogue made by ‘a servant’ in “Shadi Ho To Aisi’, where both analyse the difference between the kids of rich and poor.
Written by Pervaiz John and directed by Saeed Anwar, the drama was a sharp criticism on a member of the society who believed that minorities in Pakistan, particularly Christians, are not equal to Muslims and they should be treated derogatory manner.
Malik sahib, a political figure with social and religious hatred, passed on the message to other Muslims not to shake hand with Christian sweeper (Saeed Anwar) and to separate his utensils as well.
When Malik Sahib shook hand to a Muslim barber but refused to do so with a Christian sweeper (James), the sweeper asked about the discrimination.
Malik remarked he did so because the barber was a Muslim, on which the sweeper said, “Barber’s hand is of Muslim’s but my hand is of ‘Humanity’s” – that made Malik Sahib infuriated and he started beating the Christian. Maulana Sahib emerged time and again on the stage and tried to convince Malik sahib that they should not treat minorities like this. “Don’t judge people with their class or creed, or religion but do it on the basis of humanity,” Maulana Sahib said.
Malik ultimately designed a conspiracy against James trying to involve him in blasphemy but he suddenly got cardiac arrest. It was James who carried him Sahib to hospital to save his life thinking though Malik never shook hand with him yet he has to save his life – as a human being. At the end, Malik recovered and embraced sought apology from James.
Another social message this stage play imparted to audience was the discrimination against daughters. It also criticised the family heads who never try to get of the quagmire of caste, creed or dogmas in connection with wedding.
Maulana advised the family heads to ask their daughter whether she was willing to marry the boy chosen for her.
Lack of patience, tolerance, hatred towards minority class, and social dogmas are the core issues, this stage play tries to induce in masses.
The second play ‘Bandhan’ – a production of Islamabad Art Production, Islamabad was also staged late night carrying a social message in difficulties in marriage in a light humorous way.