Zia Mohyeddin’s King Lear kicks off at NAPA

Legendary theatre veteran Zia Mohyeddin’s adaptation of the classic William Shakespeare tragedy King Lear kicked off in Karachi amidst great applause. Directed by Zia Mohyeddin, the play features some of the finest theatre actors in the country and will be held at NAPA’s Zia Mohyeddin Auditorium till December 29. Some of these actors have done well in both theatre and films, while a few of them have also made a name for themselves on TV.

However, the name that stood out on stage the most is that of Khalid Ahmed, who recently directed Beegul’s Bedroom Conversations at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA).

With Khalid Ahmed leading the cast, it was always going to be an entertaining play, as he knows theatre like the back of his hand. With this performance, he has proven that he is still a force to be reckoned with, through his expressions and ability that managed to make the audience laugh and cry at the same time.

Theatre actor Fawad Khan, who appeared in Jeewan Haathi, plays Kent and keeps the audience’s hopes up despite them knowing that the play is a tragedy; Paras Masroor, who gained popularity through Sang-e-Mar Mar and Aangan essayed Edmond, the bastard who makes everyone’s life miserable while Nazar ul Hasan, who was part of Na Maloom Afraad 2 saves the day as Edgar, his brother, and the legitimate son of Gloucester.

Then there are the daughters, played by Mira Sethi - who has made a name for herself in both TV and films - followed by NAPA regulars Shabana Hasan and Natalia Karanji. All three actresses displayed their talents alongside an experienced cast and did a great job.

The play is nearly 150-minute long yet not one scene seems out of place; not one character out of sync.

Paras Masroor’s Edmond addresses the audience directly and got applause for his performance because the audience loves a bad guy. Kudos to Zia Mohyeddin for coming up with an adaptation that will interest the old and the young alike.