KARACHI The brainchild of Shehzad Ghias, Cogito Theater Productions, put forth the Cogito Youth Performing Arts Festival in Karachi. The purpose of the festival was to promote the performing arts in a city embroiled with a multitude of problems and also, to provide a platform for aspiring, talented inidviduals.
The three-day festival, almost after a fortnight's delay - due to volatile conditions in the city, finally took place on October 1-3 in Karachi at the Karachi Arts Council.
Day one kicked off with theatrical performances, of which the first was a series of short skits. Next up was Cogito's dance troupe, which presented 'The Dutch Impression,' an amalgamation of theater, dance and mime that enthralled audiences with its impressive performance. The highlight of the evening, however, was a play written by Ahmad Khan, titled 'Tamasha-e-Zeest.' The plot was about an average journalist and her self-righteous brother, who had taken the law into his own hands. The play was well-put together and the hard work put in by the crew members was clearly seen on stage.
The second day of the festival started with an open mic night, which seemed to be quite the treat for an audience who wanted variety. It started with a musical performance by Rabab Samo, followed by stand-up comedy by Zaven which was a hilarious take on daily issues, while Tabish Ahmed Hashim had the audience laughing in fits with his improv comedy. Between the stand-up routines were energetic musical performances by various bands.
The closing day of the festival was dedicated to a concert by numerous talented bands and musicians such as Orangenoise, Sikandar Ka Mandar, Soch, Parvaaz, Infinity and more. But the high point of the night was when Syed Wasif came on stage and performed impeccably on “Dangerous” by Michael Jackson - there was literally an uproar of applause as he performed. What whipped the audience to their feet was the unexpected yet incredible dance-off between Wasif and Babar. The friendly competition poured in cheers as the two battled out their unique dance routines.
The festival aimed to raise funds for the flood victims. This endeavor by students was appreciated and we hope to see such initiatives are taken in the future. Hats off to the Cogito team!
Babar Jafree, in Karachi, contributed for Dawn.com
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