KARACHI, Jan 18: Perhaps the one and only Children’s Theatre in our country - the Gripps Theatre - has been synonymous with Yasmeen Ismail, the lady who directed those plays for over two decades. Yasmeen Ismail is no more.

Yesterday she lost her four-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. The woman, who provided enjoyment, drew spontaneous laughter and applause from two generations of theatre-lovers, is now silent. The talented director, as well as actor, who had a number of stage and television plays to her credit, will be missed by not only her husband and two children: 23-year-old Amal, and 19-year- old Sila, but also by scores of people who were regulars at the Gripps Theatre, that was sponsored by the Goethe Institut.

Yasmeen Ismail was fifty-two years old. Her first directorial venture, “Stokkerlock and Millilipi,” was staged in 1980. “Mugnog Kids” was next, which was performed in 1984. Afterwards, Imran Aslam adapted the Gripps Theatre plays in Urdu and together they popularized children’s theatre with “Choti Moti Tota Aur S. M. Hamid,” “Hawa Ko Dawa Do,” Haspatal Ka Haal Achha Hai,” “Langra Aam Khaas Hota Hai,” “Kabab May Haddi,” and several other plays. She also directed six television plays for children called “Bacchon Ka Theatre.”

“She got the best out of us,” said Sajeeruddin, the actor who was inducted by Yasmeen into the Gripps Theatre in 1984. “She was a great teacher, and a binding force, who attracted us towards her,” he said sadly.

Yasmeen acted in a few plays, among others, the popular TV serial “Tanhaiyan,” but acting took a back seat, as she enjoyed her role as a director more. “A courageous woman, who did not give up working, and directed her last play, a political satire, Osama ho to samnay aaey, just over a month ago, from her sickbed, even when she was in extreme pain,” said Khursheed Hyder, who had interviewed her for Dawn just a few months ago. Although at times it appeared that she had overcome her disease, this unfortunately was not to be.