**Napa Repertory Theatre Company **(NRTC) was established immediately after the first batch of students graduated from NAPA after three years’ of training in February 2008. The company launched a seemingly ambitious plan to stage six productions in a year. Like NAPA, NRTC was the first and the only institute of its kind in Pakistan. NRTC managed to stage six plays up in the year 2008. Some of the members of NRTC, Aimen Tariq, Saquib Khan, Baktawar Mazhar, Ali Rizvi, Akbar Islam, Mohsin Shah have now gained a formidable reputation as leading actors. **
Beginning from January this year, the company again decided to stage six more plays. The first in the series was “KHWABON KAY MUSAFIR” by the veteran writer Intizar Hussain. It was directed by Mr. Zia Mohyeddin.
**The next production of NRTC is “The Sultan’s Dilemma” by the internationally renowned playwright, Tewfik El Hakim. **
I MET ZIA MOHEYUDDIN THE OTHER DAY–AND HE TOLD ME TO CASCADE TO ALL THAT NAPA IS SERIOUSLY LOOKING TO ENCOURAGE THE UPCOMING WRITERS, DIRECTORS, ARTISTE BY ALL COUNTS. PEOPLE MUST APPROACH NAPA WITH THEIR WORK AND WITH THE PROFILE, CV ETC THAT NAPA COGENTLY CONSIDERS THEM AND PROVIDES THEM EVERY BIT OF OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLOIT THEIR TALENTS SUITABLY BY ALSO UPHOLDING THE SANCTITY OF SHOWBIZ ON PERFORMING ARTS.
Check out the following mail I received from NAPA…which is a general mail but says a lot.
Raju Jamil from Karachi
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From: Adnan Hussan [mailto:@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 4:18 PM
To: Zulqarnain Aali (Raju)
Subject: A play by NAPA RTC (Ticket available at NAPA)
Please ignore this email if you have aleady booked your seats but you can send it to your friends.
Dear Member,
NAPA Repertory Theatre Company staging its 2nd production for the year 2009 “SULTAN KA FAISLA” from March 18, 2009 to March 25, 2009 at Arts Council Theatre 8 pm sharp..
Please book your seat at your earliest.
Tickets are available at NAPA, Agha’s, Copper Kettle and McDonalds.
Adnan Hussan
Administrator
NRTC
SULTAN KA FAISLA
***ASIF FARRUKHI
Fiction-writer, critic and translator, Asif Farrukhi was born in Karachi . A public health physician by training, he was educated at the Dow Medical College , Karachi and the Harvard University, USA. Known for short stories and essays, he is the author of a number of books. He has published translations of prose and poetry from modern and classical writers. Asif Farrukhi contributes regularly to the English- language press. Two of his adaptations have been staged in Karachi . He is the editor of Duniyazad, a literary journal of new writing and contemporary issues. Asif Farrukhi has presented papers and participated in literary events at home as well as abroad. For his distinguished work, he was awarded the Prime Minister’s Literary Award by the Pakistan Academy of Letters in 1997 and recently he was awarded the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz. ***
Director’s Profile
With a Master’s degree from University of California, Davis, Khalid Ahamad was initially trained as an Engineer and taught for many years at NED University, Karachi. All this while his interest in theatre continued to grow. In 1981 he finally decided to switch careers and went off to study acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Upon his return he devoted himself fully to the performing arts. Since then his contribution to theatre and television drama has been immense. In the last couple of years Khalid’s main involvement has been with television acting, direction and production while his love for the theatre has remained dormant but unabated.
***Khalid is presently the Executive Director at Beyond Borders Television and also a faculty member at the National Academy of Performing Arts, Karachi (NAPA).
The Sultan’s Dilemma
***Next production scheduled to be held again at the Arts Council Theatre from 18th March to 25th March is “SULTAN KA FAISLA” by Tewfik El Hakim, the Egyptian playwright of international fame. The play has been translated into Urdu by Dr. Asif Farrukhi who has established himself as a commendable translator of fiction from English to Urdu. ***
***“Sultan’s Dilemma” revolves around the problem which has confronted humanity since the dawn of history: is the solution to world problems to be sought in the arbitration of sword or of the law, by resorting to force or by upholding principles? Today we are still confronted with this dilemma.
Tewfik El Hakim situates this play during the times of the Mamluke Slave Dynasty of Egypt when a slave ascends the throne without having been granted the freedom by his master to become a king. There are two options. One is that he has the power which has its own legitimacy; the other is that he has to agree to the legal process and become a slave again to be sold in the market and then freed by a kind-hearted soul. The author has put this problem of choice and the present attitude to it in a historical oriental setting. ***
THIS THREAD WILL, OCCASIONALLY, CARRY THE LATEST ON PAKISTAN STAGE PRODUCTION BY NAPA OR ANY OTHER THEATRE PRODUCTIONS GROUP–ON THE STAGE PLAYS BEING HELD IN KARACHI OR OTHER CITIES OF PAKISTAN.