LAHORE, Dec 27: The Ibsen National Drama Festival began at Alhamra on Monday with Tota Rama, a play produced by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

The 12-day festival was organized by the PNCA with the assistance of the Norwegian Embassy and the Punjab and Lahore arts councils.

Produced by Sarmad Sehbai, Tota Rama is a fine example of bitter social comment laced with a masterly comic dialogue and the touch of the absurd. It presents a balance between solid content and a comic treatment that avoids trivial sentimentality.

One group each of Quetta, Rawalpindi and Peshawar, three of Karachi and five of Lahore would be providing a rare glimpse of the best the theatre world has to offer in Pakistan, Minister of State for Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Muhammad Ali Durrani told newsmen at a press conference at a The Mall hotel on Sunday.

Norwegian Embassy's Minister Counsellor Alf Arne Ramslien and PNCA director-general Raja Changez Khan were also present. The Ajoka Theatre, Lahore, will present Bullah on Tuesday. It has been produced by Madeha Gohar.

Naqal Makani by the Dolphen Communication Productions, Rawalpindi, will be staged on Dec 29. Produced by AD Baloch for the Sangat Theatre Productions, Quetta, Dekh Tamasha will be presented on Dec 30.

Hatak by the Sameena Ahmad Productions, Lahore, will be staged on Dec 31. The Jamil Bismil Productions, Lahore, will stage Sootar Mandi on Jan 1. Jungle Jungle Zindabad will be presented on Jan 2. It has been produced by Sheema Kermani for Tehrik-i-Niswan, Karachi.

The Creative Workshop, Karachi, will stage Zohra Ki Gali on Jan 3. Sitam Bala-i-Sitam by the Abasin Arts Council, Peshawar, will be presented on Jan 4. The Omer Sharif Productions, Lahore, will stage Aik Qadam on Jan 5.

Bala Qi Badzat by the Kamal Ahmed Rizvi Production, Karachi, will be presented on Jan 6. The Rafi Peer Theatre's Paatay Khan will be staged on the last day of the festival Jan 7 followed by the awards distribution ceremony.

A seminar on problems of theatre in Pakistan and ways and means for improvement will also be held on Jan 5 at Alhamra Hall III. It will be presided over by Naeem Tahir and Dr Enwar Sajjad.

Kamal Ahmad Rizvi, Talat Hussain, Sarmad Sehbai, Anjum Ayaz, AD Baloch, Salman Shahid and Sarwat Ali will be among the speakers. The drafting committee will comprise Prof Sajjad Haider, Amina Ismail and Sameena Jamshed.