The purpose of comedy is to amuse the audience. Usually, this is achieved when characters are able to triumph over negative circumstances with the creation of some sort of comedic effect....
theatre
The purpose of comedy is to amuse the audience. Usually, this is achieved when characters are able to triumph over negative circumstances with the creation of some sort of comedic effect. The comic perspective fills a central need of every society; it enables us to cope much better with our own follies and disappointments. In comedies, the endings are usually uplifting, positive, or successful.
Theatre comedies often offer comic relief to people. Recently, a theatre play was staged at Arts Council Pakistan, Karachi, called ‘Hotel Jaan-e-Jaan’. Adapted from the English play ‘The Perfect Wedding’, the drama provided a non-stop 1 hour and 15 minutes entertainment to the audience.
Directed by Farhan Alam Siddiqui and produced by Raahim Bukhari, the play was a light-hearted watch and was able to spread wide smiles and an aching stomach, allowing the blending of friendship, drama, and heart-filling moments that would keep the audiences hooked till the last curtain call. Starring Yasir Hussain, Umer Aalam, Sabiha Zia, Fiza Munir, Sheryl John, Zoobi Fatima, Muhammad Asim, and Maneeb Sheikh the play enthralled everyone.
‘Hotel Jaan-e-Jaan’ unravels a tapestry of emotions among the lost souls, promising to open new horizons amidst the enigma of vanished identities. With every twist, turn and the perfect punch-lines that land right when they should, the audience find themselves completely and utterly immersed in this world of these wonderfully talented characters in their world of havoc and comedy. All the characters are in a state of confusion due to their own perceived stories. The play unfolds chaos between missing, unclear identities and the unspoken words.
Yasir Hussain and Umer Aalam showcased their exceptional acting skills on stage, while Farhan Alam Siddiqui’s direction brought moments of friendship and heart-touching emotions to life. Adaptations are not easy to make. One needs to be articulate and skilled in order to adapt an original play according to one’s own surroundings. With a well written script, tongue in cheek dialogues, sleek direction and terrific acting, ‘Hotel Jaan-e-Jaan’ had all the ingredients to keep the audience riveted throughout.
Luckily, we watched this hilarious play on the media night, organised by Arts Council and Stage Bugs Production. The media night saw a large number of celebrities from the showbiz industry including Humayun Saeed, Bushra Ansari, Fahad Mustafa, Kubra Khan, Zara Noor Abbas, Ejaz Aslam, Ali Rehman, Saboor Aly and others. Also spotted among the audience was Ahmed Shah, President Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi. In his short speech, after the play was ended, he emphasised the Arts Council’s role as a platform where individuals can showcase their talent. He was proud of the fact that most of the students of Arts Council were part of this drama.
‘Hotel Jaan-e-Jaan’ was staged from 19 April to 28 April in Karachi. The beautiful furniture for the stage play was provided by Beena Amin whereas Thor Productions did the PR. Those who have missed this play will have to wait for another comedy play by Yasir Hussain. Hopefully, he will be coming with more witty plays like this to keep amusing us.
-You! desk
