LAHORE: What happens when an encounter between a probing journalist and a reclusive novelist occurs is the baseline of Mushk, the theatre play that has its opening day at the Alhamra Arts Council, The Mall, on Friday (today).

Mushk (Fragrance), a production of Olomopolo, has as lead actors two veteran women artistes who have proved their mettle in theatre. The character of Sophiya, the novelist, is being played by Nimra Bucha while Sania Saeed performs the character of Zoay, the journalist. What we know of the play, revealed by the cast and the director, Kanwal Khoosat, is that it shows complicated relationship between the two characters. While the novelist, who is a private person, wants to keep her secrets, especially her love for a mystery man, the anxious journalist is able to shake her secretive nature. The characters look complicated and demand actors with an insight into the art of acting. Given the earlier roles both Sania and Nimra played on TV as well theatre, one can expect a stellar performance by them at Alhamra today.

The play is stated to be an adaptation of a European play whose name has not been revealed. How a Western play has been adapted to fit into the Pakistan context by writers Raabia Qadir and Seemal Numan is yet to be seen and it adds to the curiosity of the theatergoers. The play would be performed for three days. It would be performed in Islamabad and Karachi after Lahore. Tickets are available at Olomopolo office besides The Last Word, Books & Beans, Jade Café, Sweet Tooth in Gulberg and Faiz Ghar in Model Town.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2017