Daily Times

Sir: Theatre is a cultural space where society examines itself in a mirror. It has long been looked at as a laboratory in which we can study the problems that confront society and attempt to solve those problems. To sum up, theatre is critical for the social growth of our country. And it is such a great pleasure to finally see some progress in the theatre industry of Pakistan alongside the revival of cinema. Maestros like Zia Mohyeddin, Rahat Kazmi, Anwar Maqsood, Naila Jaffrey and other fine actors are doing their best to halt the industry’s long downward spiral. Many small and big production companies are also coming forward to finance various performances that are being staged all over the country. But the problem here lies with the pricey show tickets. A couple of months ago, yet another magnum opus by Anwar Maqsood titled ‘Anwar Maqsood ka Dharna’ was being staged at the Arts Council and Rs 1,500 were being charged per ticket. Considering the precarious financial conditions of Pakistan, it is impossible for an average middle class citizen to spend an amount of Rs 1,500 only for entertainment purposes.

Does it mean that once again the underprivileged will suffer badly at the hands of the economy and will remain deprived of the theatrical masterpieces being showcased in their cities? What about their self-empowerment and social development that theatre nowadays has to offer? Do they not deserve a few hours of light hearted fun to take their minds off the events of frequent mass killings and terrorist activities going on around the country? Or are only the moneyed allowed that kind of mental relaxation?
Through your esteemed newspaper, I would like to invite the attention of the concerned authorities towards doing their bit in order to revive the dying art of theatre and allocating funds to the theatre companies so that their performances could be available to every Pakistani regardless of his/her financial background.
AIMEN RAFIQUE
Karachi