Theatre Across Borders: “The Art of Listening”

Ittefaq brought theatre to Muhammad Ali Farooqi in the form of a college project. Those three minutes on stage as a chimney sweep were so unforgettable that he couldn’t help but join the Quadian Dramatics Club (QDC) at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan where he is completing his PhD in Pakistani student theatre! Sacrificing a career in football, his deep passion for the arts and a strong sense of responsibility to his fellow theatre artists is what has kept the twenty-four year old going for the past four years. Not to mention though, out in the theatre field he has had to face a few obstacles. “Who doesn’t,” you ask? Let’s take a look at Farooqui’s counterpart, for instance, the music society president who was failed by a teacher in a bid to discourage him from pursuing his musical interests. Or why not turn to a female member in Farooqui’s team? When one of QDC’s plays was covered in The Tribune newspaper, the picture of a scene from it showed Farooqi and a girl, after which she never came back. Needless to say, the obstacles are many. With constant criticism and backlash from authorities as well as endangered marriage prospects, these young theatre enthusiasts remain dedicated solely due to the izzat (respect) they receive on stage. 

Now I’m sure we’ve all heard at some point “What future does Theatre even have?”

“Theatre? You mean you’ll be showing skin on stage?” Whaddup age old Social Stigma!

Social stigma surrounding the performing arts is a major problem for students though because it prevents the widespread acceptance of theatre. According to Farooqi, Mujra, an art form popular in Lahore which is considered vulgar, immoral and against Islamic values is often compared to commercial theatre. This means young theatre artists are discouraged or not allowed to join the theatre world by their families and teachers who look down upon it. But this does nothing to stop them and they take the derogatory terms “stage dramatist” and “kanjar” in their stride, challenging the misconceptions surrounding theatre by stressing that they are “pure theatre” and nothing less.

Dealing with derogatory terms? Check. Facing backlash from society? Check. Having difficulty finding safe performance spaces? Check. Chek. Check. 

Although there are many more contemporary art spaces now, Farooqi is worried about the lack of safe spaces for performances, which could mean only one thing: a breeding ground for frustration, both for the artist and the audience. But Farooqi has realized that if the state wishes, it supports plays, gives space and gets things done and so the new challenge of a theatre artist is to get the state to believe in their work. 

Our friend Farooqui, here seems to have a really cool way of going about this. Check it out for yourselves.

QDC had been performing one of their original Urdu plays Sarisht, based on a true story that addressed the issue of forced prostitution and the social stigma surrounding it. They won several awards at a university-level competition. A different team from a different university adapted the same play and were disqualified. Wait what? Turns out,  presentation is key. The way content and language are dealt with is imperative. This highlights the care that needs to be taken by script writers and artists so that they address “soft points” that don’t hurt anyone’s sentiments but are not so careful that they forget the message they are trying to convey in the process. “Bura lage bhi toh usko kuch andaaza na ho”, Farooqi laughs. Although “khule azadi se nahi keh sakte hai '' it. So while they do perform controversial plays, they keep in mind the national narrative. In these divisive times, it is theatre that can bring ​​societies together as it creates a safe space for discussion and development when the outside world sometimes rejects this, feels Farooqi. 

It is important to understand your audience, says Farooqi, because this determines everything from the context, content, and language the play is performed in, to the costumes and props that are used. During one of their performances in interior Sindh, Farooqi’s fellow women theatre artists had to change their costumes from jeans to a salwar kameez with dupattas over their heads at the last minute. They have never experienced this in Lahore and Karachi as these are more liberal spaces, representing the dynamism of boundaries between the acceptable and what is not. In doing so you’re showing them that you’re listening to them, that you understand their culture.

Theatre, according to Farooqi, breaks down the superficial borders not just between the artist and the audience but unifies the inner and outer part of the artists themselves. He has watched as students have transformed and changed under his guidance, so much so that a girl, who had never left Islamabad, went to another city, acted without her headscarf and even used a cigarette on stage to get into character! The human to human interaction is best to remove misunderstandings and political boundaries through the lived experience of a performance. “Even if you take a breath they [the audience] are paying attention”, says Farooqi proudly. “Go ahead! channelize your frustration, talk coexistence and hear both sides of the debate because freedom is not just about expressing but listening.”