Actors in cat costume perform in Punja Shikanja at the PNCA on Thursday. — White Star
ISLAMABAD: A play portraying authoritarianism, hypocrisy, fragmentation and contradictions, and the stereotypes in our society hit the Pakistan National Council of the Arts’ (PNCA) stage on Thursday.
A media premiere of the play, titledPunja Shikanja, was held at the PNCA auditorium. The play is co-written by acclaimed artist Jamal Shah and Ibrahim Gogi. Mr Shah also directed the play with Asif Shah and Akash Bukhari as the assistant directors.
Punja Shikanjais a subtle, satirical comment on society, class contradictions, the exploitation of religious sentiment and broken dreams.
Set in the late ‘80s, the play follows a king and his stooges, a labourer, Meero, and his pet animals – a cat and five kittens, a critical rooster, a philosopher dog and more.
The plot of the play centres on a joke and its bizarre consequences, as well as the lust for power.
Some 60 actors, mostly from Rawalpindi – although one actor is from Lahore and another is Chinese - were cast in the play.
The story begins with the birth of the kittens, which start chanting ‘Long Live the King’ as soon as they are born. News of the kittens spreads like wildfire, and everybody claims ownership of the kittens, but they are confiscated by the king who is advised to show the kittens to the world.
The king’s men organise a grand event attended by leaders and diplomats to display the kittens. But when the kittens see the king, they chant ‘Down with the King’, embarrassing him. The king orders an investigation into the incident, and his men torture the kittens’ owner, the labourer, to uncover the plot.
It finally emerges that the kittens had opened their eyes on the fifth day, and the revelation turns into a rebellion against the king.
The play concluded with a song titledHum Jeeteinge, a parody of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’ famous poem Hum Dekhenge, and a dance performance that was a satire on the governance system and rulers.
Applause rang through the jam-packed auditorium – audience members were even sitting on the stairs – after the play ended.