As the 10th Youth Performing Arts Festival 2011 concluded in Lahore, I couldn’t help but think that the event organised by the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) was a much-scaled down version of the grand event of yesteryears owing to concerns of security, Dengue outbreak and perhaps the paucity of sponsors. This year, it was held in collaboration with the Embassy of Netherlands and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The five-day event had a total of 72 acts of theatre, dance, music and films by students from various universities and colleges. Also participating throughout the festival was the Dutch dance group Pop’arazzi Entertainment.

It was also heartening to see the busloads of school and college students arriving at the venue, and I hope that in the years to come the festival regains its lost glory.

HIGHLIGHTS Theatre The Puppeteers presented a love story where musical instruments are the main characters. A trumpet falls in love with a flute and eventually are able to get married against all odds by the kind intervention of the family elder; the piano.

Skits by the NCA students was 30 minutes of slapstick comedy set in the court of a Mughal emperor who calls in the characters of Dengue, Bijli, CNG, Petrol and Mehngai to question them for the inconveniences they are causing to the public.

Anarkali by the Froebel’s School was a contemporary version of the classic Mughal love story followed by a music and dance presentation.

Shadow Puppetry by The City School presented the story of a chick who boldly goes out to help his friend in need. Another performance was Aks Mein Raks, a tribute to the legendary Moin Akhtar.

Uperli Manzil by Sawang from the Punjab University presented the story of a man’s psychotic episodes following his suspicion of his wife’s infidelity.

Murad Manzil Kay Pagal by the Islamia University of Bahawalpur was a light comedy based on the problems facing Pakistanis today. This was followed by a mime performance, Bahar Aaye.

Gladiator by the Salamat School System was a mime and play about sectarianism.

Other participants included the GC University Faisalabad, the Hazara Theatre Society from Abbotabad, The UCP, The UET and the UMT from Lahore.

Short films A Music Fairy was tribute to Nazia Hassan directed by Ahmad Haseeb (NCA), Shola Jutt by Abdullah Gujjar (King Edward Medical College), You Only Lived Once and Wa Yubqa Wajjhu Rabbik by Saad Naeem (Allama Iqbal Medical College), Art Work by Kiran Khursheed, Pallette Eye, Lust, and LPC by Riyan un Nabi (NCA), The Illusionist by Jibran Dawood, Arslaan Raza and Habib Mushtaq (BNU); Meri Tum by Jibran Dawood (BNU), Aurat Ho Tum To, Umeed Hai (FC College), Hayula, Gilgit (Punjab University), Behavioral Change, A Stander by the Way, Apna Haq Pehchano (Lahore College for Women University), Abba Tum Pehlay Kyun Na Marr Gaye and Worldly Death by Imran Ali (PU), Gauge by Nabiha Khawar Hashmi (PU), Hina-i-Aswad by Qadeer Ahmad and Aqsa Ashraf Awan (PU).

Music Music performances took place as the concluding event of the festival every night. Participating groups included the Lums Music Society, Fast Music Society, Xarb Band, Ibtasam Khan from the PU, Saad from Freobel’s School, Shazoo from UMT, Wish Band of the Garrison Academy, Shahrzad, Osama Moeen, Dirt Jaw, Badnaam Band, Propaganda, Zahid Omer, SICAS Break Dance.

Other performers included regional dancers from The Baltistan Group, Naheed Siddiqui’s students, Gohar Hayat and classical dances by Haider Ali, Umair Arif and Harris Ali Khan.

Punjab University presented a two-act mime, The Desire of Love, about a devastated lover rejected by his mortal beloved and who seeks to find true love in the Divine.