ISLAMABAD: It was a light-hearted, self-critical view of double standards, hypocrisies and a lot of fun too. Shown for the first time in Islamabad, Ajoka Theatre’s new production ‘Amrika Chalo’ was a satirical response to the colliding love-hate relationship between Pakistan and the USA.
Sitting in the aisles and standing at the back, the jam-packed Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) auditorium audiences explored this intimate and highly charged drama where people hated American policies but still many loved to settle in the USA.
Directed by Madeeha Gohar, the new presentation reflected on how Pakistan had serious reservations about US policies towards the Muslim world, the military interventions to “do more” demands, drone attacks… the list was long and unending.
And the writer of the play Shahid Nadeem also questioned the American values of liberty, freedom and morality that are too often contradicted by its high-handed imperialist policies. The drama was a polemical play about international politics and US-Pak relations.
The backdrop of the stage setting was a huge canvas with images of sky scrapers and American icons like Michael Jackson and Angelina Jolie to mention some. The scene was set in the visa section of the US embassy.
A number of applicants intending to visit the US had gathered for interviews. The play was littered with comical and satirical songs and started off with “Chalo Chalo America” that was specially composed for the play.
A businessman, a possible illegal migrant pretending to be a tourist, a politician, a cleric, a student, a puppeteer, and an aged couple all suffer humiliation at the visa section. Each one of the visa seekers had a completely different reason for visiting the land of opportunities. However, a group of young audience walked out of auditorium describing the script, dialogues and the storyline “a disaster”.
“This was the worst of Ajoka’s production compared to the wonderful dramas we have seen before,” said Teepu Malik. His friends added that the drama depicted people from all walks of life but did not portray Pakistan Army that they believed was the most important relationship in the love-hate affiliation between Pakistan and the USA.
Yet others commented that the play was a timely dose to make Pakistanis realise that they could not go on being humiliated and ruled by people who were champions of human rights and at the same time the biggest violators of values and principles.
Bringing it all home were the excellent Ajoka cast of old and new faces. According to most in the audience Furqan Majeed as the homosexual security personnel gave an outclass performance this time as compared to some of his previous performances. PNCA will host ‘Khawab Biktay Nahi’ the last play of the drama festival on Thursday night.