LAHORE: Theater has always been a medium which has inspired generations in novel ways and Olomopolo’s latest theatrical offering titled, BLANK, at Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, can be considered a milestone in this regard.
BLANK, featuring Nadia Jamil, Sania Saeed, Samiya Mumtaz and Nadia Afgan, has three nights of great theatrical performances starting on May1. On Saturday (third night), Samiya Mumtaz was the actor in focus. After four unforgettable nights, BLANK would close on Sunday (today) at Alhamra Hall 2.
Written by acclaimed Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (White Rabbit Red Rabbit), BLANK begins with a twist as a performer walks onstage with no rehearsals, no director, and a script full of blanks — literally. The story is completed in real time, with help from the audience.
Curated by Kanwal Khoosat, BLANK features four of Pakistan’s most celebrated actors — Nadia Afgan, Sania Saeed, Samiya Mumtaz, and Nadia Jamil — in a theatrical experiment that’s never been attempted in this form before. Each night features a different performer. They don’t share the stage, but their performances speak to each other — quietly, powerfully and uniquely every time.
The production also marks Olomopolo’s return to Alhamra after five years. Now in its 13th year, the Lahore-based cultural enterprise continues to be a leader in socially engaged storytelling, known for pushing the boundaries of what live performance in Pakistan can look and feel like. With BLANK, it delivers a fresh kind of intimacy — one that relies not on spectacle, but on presence, vulnerability, and trust.
The stage design is a striking interpretation of the playwright’s instruction to use “no set” — minimal, poetic, and bold. Far from empty, it’s been described as a visual metaphor for the gaps in the script itself: space for imagination, silence, and surprise. A quiet spectacle. Each evening continues beyond the performance as audiences spill into the Alhamra lawn for conversation and reflection. The energy doesn’t end when the script does — and that’s by design.
Final performance on Sunday ( today) will feature Nadia Jamil.
Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2025