KARACHI: How can a woman follow her dreams in a male-dominated society or in any society for that matter, especially when the canvas of the dreams is wide enough to include personal choices and impersonal ambitions?

This is a question that has often been asked but, if one analyses it without modern-day media-induced prevarications, is yet to get a definitive answer. Writers and sociologists have done their bit to find a solution to the issue, as has the celebrated Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, whose play A Doll’s House (first performed in 1879) examines the subject with a fair degree of perceptiveness. The National Academy of Performing Arts Urdu presentation of the drama titled Guria Ka Ghar, translated by Shoaib Hashmi and directed Zain Ahmed, on Thursday, attempts to capture the spirit of Ibsen’s story in a plausible way.

The play — set in Karachi — tells the tale of a married couple, Asad and Ayesha. Asad is a banker and has recently been promoted to the post of manager. Money matters to him, as can be gauged in the beginning of the play when he has a small argument with Ayesha. In comes Adeela, an old friend of Ayesha. The women have met after a long time. As they discuss their past, it is revealed that both were financially challenged in certain phases of their lives. The arrival of Saulat, another acquaintance of Ayesha, who is looking for a job in the bank, propels the story because he had helped Ayesha when she was feeling the pinch and Asad is not completely aware of it.

Then there is the character of Dr Amir, a family friend of the couple. He is romantically involved with Ayesha, though she doesn’t respond to his overtures. Amir is also seriously ill. As the story progresses the gulf between the man-woman divide in society becomes more than visible. Things come to a pass, and Ayesha takes a stand that surprises Asad and the audience in equal measure.

Guria Ka Ghar gets noticed primarily because of the technique employed by its makers. The use of multiple actors playing a single part is a clever device. It imparts the kind of symbolism to the performances which is necessary for a socially relevant play. All actors have their distinct way of delivering the lines and reacting to lines spoken by fellow actors. This means that it takes interpretational one-dimensionality out the window. For example, the man can be seen both as the oppressor and on certain occasions as someone who doesn’t have control over the situations.

The situations are interspersed with songs. Again, it’s not a bad idea. A little bit of vocal training of the actors in terms of singing would have made the effort worthier.

The high point of the play is the climactic scene when Ayesha and Asad have their final confrontation. The synchronisation (especially footwork) of the performers (Meesam Naqvi, Saad Zameer, Taha Khan, Erum Bashir, Hajra Yasmin, Maria Saad) is far better than the earlier parts of the play.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2016