LAHORE: The duo of Shaan Lashari and Dawar Lashari returned to stage as they performed their rendition of British playwright Derek Benfield’s ‘Date night.’ Their performance on the March 20 was surprisingly well attended for a Monday night with a near packed audience turning up for the performance.
Billed as a farce that had been “adapted for the Pakistani audience in the form of a musical,” the play occupied the Al Hamra stage in a whirlwind of activity. The fast-paced back and forth action was aided by the set designed to make the audience completely aware of all the happenings and near constantly in the loop.
Set in an isolated part of England, the play revolved around the highly unlikely situation of two couples taking a weekend escape to have an affair with each other’s spouses. Unbeknownst to each other obviously.
The entire fiasco unfolds as Ferris, the unsuspecting hotel manager, shuttles between the 4 characters trying to avoid them interacting and discovering the situation while taking immense delight in the awkward and improbable situation.
The best part about the script was that all the characters were equally sinful. Devoid of judgment, antagonists, and protagonists, the play was a thoroughly contemporary affair in that it was an exercise of seeing different types of characters reacting to the same situation.
The play was also, quite naturally, not family-friendly. The entire premise was two different couples embroiled in extra-marital affairs. And while it was well within its rights to be what it is, the adult humor was often overbearing and repetitive. For a point to be made, it does not have to be repeated over and over, it only has to be conveyed properly.
The most marvelous part of the entire production would have to be the set. For the purpose of the performance the stage had been divided into two parts. Two identical raised platforms showed the audience the insides of the rooms hosting the affairs. The reception desk placed forward-center of the two elevated platforms became the focal point for plot progress and fluidity of movement in the play.
The play had the capacity to be a mess. The characters were nearly all on stage constantly, but they did not share a scene where everyone acknowledged each other’s presence until the very end.
The religious observance of the staircases leading to the rooms, however, quickly made the audience’s eyes trained to the nuances of the play. It also aided in making clear the exact situation of the fourth-wall breaks that took place towards the end.
Theatre lovers excited for a musical be warned however. The one glaring and unforgiveable downside of the entire performance was that it was not what it claimed to be. Perhaps when the director described it as a ‘musical’ he meant it simply as an adjective rather than as a noun. Because for sure there was music, they played it before the play began and when every character entered for the first time. There was even a very well-choreographed dance sequence right at the end. But it cannot be called a musical with a straight face.
This is not for a lack of song or dance, but simply for the reason that it was not necessary to the progression or tone of the play. The first dance sequence did not start until 40 minutes into the 90 minute production. There was no libretto, no character songs, and the musical parts were wholly unnecessary.
The cast for the play made up for much of the disappointment that was the music. Shaan Lashari played lead as hotel manager Ferris, Mehar Bano was the jumpy, loud and often child-like Helen, Roger, the eccentric and borderline egotist braggart, was brought to life by Walid Zaid. Sana Jafri was the alluring and passionate Sally, and Shah Fahad played a character as boring and miserly as his stage name ‘Geoff.’
And while the entire 5 member cast did justice to their roles and did even more for the script, the truly inspiring performances came from Shaan Lashari and Mehar Bano.
Lashari played the lead, and his role as the hotel manager labeled him the omnipotent character of the play. Even more impressive was the constant grind he was under as he made his way from one part of the set to the other. The efficiency with which he moved to give cues to his fellow cast-members was the highlight of the performance.
Mehar Bano’s on the other hand had been a high-intensity performance that embodied farcical anxiety leaving the audience in stitches over her antics. And while dialogue delivery may not have been her strong suit, the fact that she was the only member of the cast whose dancing and singing voice was smooth and natural set her performance apart.
