KARACHI, March 9: Four British artists, representing a popular street theatre, gave a pleasant surprise to Karachiites on Saturday when they performed in the congested lanes of Liaquatabad.

John Richard Jerrom, Haf Elen Morgan, Mark Jonathan Bishop and Zoe Rachael Lambert, representing the UK-based Natural Theatre Company, had been invited here by the British Council.

No formal stage was set and the artistes, carrying their suitcases and umbrellas, got off from their vehicle in the congested Supermarket area and started walking on the side-lane of the main road.

John Richard and Zoe Rachael started their performance of walking like lost tourists from the Dakkhana crossing side sometimes looking for some shops and at the other for their vehicle. The other artiste couple — Haf Elen Morgan and Mark Jonathan Bishop — started their performance near the Liaquatabad No 10 crossing, walking towards Dakkhana chowk.

Both the couples, with their loud talking, gestures and asking for directions immediately caught the attention of the passersby, shopkeepers and shoppers.

The on-lookers first looked surprised but soon joined the fun and started participating by talking. Soon a crowd gathered and followed the foreigners.

The artistes, looking that they had caught the attention of the crowd, moved freely on the main road and then entered the narrow and congested streets.

While the people were having fun, the half-an-hour long performance was a nightmare for the police and the security staff. They did not know what the VIP foreigners had been doing or where they intended to go next as the performance was stretched over around half a kilometre and streets were narrow and very congested.

The group had earlier held performances at the Cantonment Railway Station and Seaview Township on Saturday. It will also hold two more performances on Sunday near Seaview and at Frere Hall.