Ajoka Theatre recently resumed their on-ground performances, which had been interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, with a revival of Lappar (the slap), written by Shahid Nadeem and originally directed by the late Madeeha Gauhar, herself a noted actor and scriptwriter.

It was performed in an open-air venue, before a select audience that had been instructed to comply with Covid-19 social-distancing guidelines. This did nothing to lessen the excitement that was palpable at the return of theatre to Lahore. At the same time, a live stream had been set up for viewers who wanted to enjoy the performance from the comfort of their homes.

A not-for-profit theatre company and institute, Ajoka claims to work for a democratic and egalitarian society through various art-based initiatives. Since its conception in 1984, it has helped bring together theatre and media professionals, writers, and rights activists who subscribe to its ideology. The significance of Gauhar’s struggle against rights violations, especially during the Zia regime, would not be known to the younger generation if it wasn’t for the efforts of Gauhar’s son, Nirvaan Nadeem, who now fronts Ajoka.

The first play Ajoka put together was Jaloos (Procession), which was written by Badal Sircar and performed in the lawns of Madeeha’s parents’ home. The then government is said to have thoroughly analysed each script before allowing it for public viewing. Also, Ajoka had to get the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to perform the play on public property.

Lappar is a play that focuses on the prejudices faced by the girl child in a typical Pakistani society. The topic may sound depressing but the wit and the satire do well to balance the mood of the play. It opens with a group of women, presumably in a joint family, discussing their wish to give birth to a boy, which (in their view) will ensure that their husbands are happy.

True to its name, Lappar is a slap in the face of the unjust patriarchal values that define the society. Nirvaan, the current director of Ajoka Institute, says that it was “encouraging to see young actors, especially girls, participating [in the play] with great vigour.”

He recalls how there was a time, not too long ago, when Ajoka was readying a performance of Bullha, there was a great difficulty casting for women characters. He also talks about his mother getting threats over the phone from unknown quarters — “But she’d yell back, undeterred,” he says.

It was performed in an open-air venue, before a select audience that had been instructed to comply with Covid-19 social-distancing guidelines. At the same time, a live stream had been set up for viewers who wanted to enjoy the performance from the comfort of their homes.

Nirvaan isn’t loath to acknowledge his mother’s creation which got more praise abroad than on home turf — it even won her the 2006 Prince Claus Award, bestowed by Prince Claus of the Netherlands. Over the years, Ajoka has held several cross-border performances with actors in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. They also have a children’s theatre which has participated in several international drama festivals in Asia and Europe.

t the close of the performance, Justice Nasira Iqbal (retired), who was the chief guest on the occasion, congratulated Ajoka for carrying forward Gauhar’s mission and continuing to promote social issues through their entertaining plays. She appreciated the performance of the female-led cast, which mostly comprised young girls who were facing the audience for the first time. They included Razia Malik, Aisha Khan, Madeeha Rasheed, Ishrat Shaheen. Shagufta Saleem and Rania Mohsin.

Shahid Nadeem also spoke of how a “hybrid performance such as this is an experiment and a sign of the shape theatre might take in the future.” He vowed that Ajoka would continue to raise social awareness with meaningful productions.

Lappar received an overwhelming response from the audience physically present at the venue. Rather than feeling burdened, one felt revivified after watching the play. One hopes that, as time goes by, our artists will continue to highlight issues through their work, and break the barriers that have been put in place. Otherwise, we will be erasing an integral part of our heritage.

The writer is an undergraduate student of Political Science, Economics and Philosophy at Suffolk University, Boston. She works occasionally as a freelance journalist, and posts @rimliina