NAPA International Performing Arts Festival 2019
12th – 31th March 2019
This festival brings together performers from a diverse group of countries and as before we have a number of collaborations between international and Pakistani artists. We are very proud of this collaborative work because this is where a true exchange of ideas takes place.

Mureed-e-Shak
12th March
Directed By: Zia Mohyeddin
Mureed-e-shak is a Agha Hashr’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Winter Tale. It is a tale of romantic improbability. A king believes his wife to have committed adultery with his friend another king and casts off his newly born daughter in his belief that she is his friends bastard. Left in the wilderness, the girl rows up in the house of a shepherd and falls in love with son of his father’s erstwhile friend. All’s well that ends well in the last threatically daring scene of this melodrama.
Cast:
Sikander Jaa Naveed Kamal
Humayun Samjhan Ghazi
Husun Ara & Gulnar Fajar Sheikh
Hameed Bano Safia Zahir Ali
Feroz Rahil Siddiqui
Koshish Salman Ahmed
Tufaan S.M.Muntazir
Wazeer Faizan Chawla
Husna Shumaila Taj
Arz Beni Ansar Mahar
Safeer Zohair Zubair
Darogha Asfand Yar
Pharu Singh Abdul Hafeez
Pandit Ahad Tauqeer
Rama Malik Farhan Aziz
Khursheed Saim
Barati Husnain Raza
Barati Qasim Shah
Mulaqaat: With Nayyara Noor & Arshad Mahmud
13th March
Directed By: Nafees Ahmed

A conversation with Nayyara Noor and Arshad Mahmud about their work and their collaboration on some of the best pieces of music created in the recent past. Some notable compositions from the past ill be performed by the graduates of NAPA.
Cast:
Mehboob Ashraf
Waqas Gulaab (Tabla)
Nigel Bobby (Vocalist)
Sajar Nafees (Vocalist)
Sambrine Sabir (Choir)
Hannan Imran (Choir)
Cynthia Rose (Choir)
Angeli Sarfaraz (Choir)
Muqaddus Saleem (Choir)
Maria Ahmed (Choir)
Jennifer Arif (Choir)
Thomas Younus (Piano)
Manzoor Ahmed (Violin)
Kishwer Ali (Bass Guitar)

Perahan
14th March
Directed By: Bazelah Mustafa
After the traumatic death of her mum, Anna is brought up by her father Saboor and nanny Razia. She as been emotionally vulnerable but there is something unusual about her behavior. In an out of hospitals, she is diagnosed with mental illness. Stigmatised by the Society, Mr Saboor and Razia are her only support, until one day when it all changes. Perahan is a sequal to Soch, accalaimed physical theatre production.
Cast:
Samhan Ghazi
Mr. Saboor Farhan Alam
Dr. Karim Kiran Siddiqui
Anna Shabana Hasan
Nanny Bazelah Mustafa
Saboor’s Friend Ayesha Pervaiz
Biff Sibatin
Chip Aamir Asbi
Kipper Ahad Tauqeer
Ensemble Rao M Shawaiz
Ensemble Raam Govind
Ensemble Naeem Khushid
Ensemble Ahmed Ali
Court Martial
15th March
Directed By: Zia Mohyeddin

Sudesh Deepak’s play is about a trial of a young, upright Indian Soldier who has shot dead his commanding officer. What emerges in the trial scene is a highly gripping drama about the circumstances that led the soldier to commit the crime. Deepak brilliantly exposes the manner in which a class-ridden society hides the truth to preserve the status quo.
Performer:
Colonel Surat Singh Mazhar Sulaiman
Salakar Judge Ubaid Iqbal
Judge 1 Ahad Tauqeer
Judge 2 Samhan Ghazi
Colonel Rawat Ghazain Abbas
Major Ajay Puri Zain ul Abedin Qureshi
Captain Bekash Roy Zohair Zubair
Captain Dr. Gupta Faizan Chawla
Captain B.D Kapoor Malik Farhan Aziz
Subadar Balwan Singh Abdul Hafeez
Ram Chandar M. Essa Khan
Guard 1 Asfand Yar
Guard 2 Ansar Mahar

Wahala (Slavery)
13th & 14th January
Directed By: Aisha Hasan
nATANDA Dance Theatre of Sri Lanka’s ‘Wahala’ or Slavery depicts the suffering, pain and anguish felt by anyone who has experienced slavery of any form.
Cast:
Malith Upendra
Dakshika Bandara
Kalani Sachithra
Senarth Nanayakkarae Lasanth Harsha Kumara Nanayakkara
Narmada Nikethani
Jeewaka Randeepa
Dumidu Hashan
Bari
16th & 17th March
Directed By: Aqeel Ahmed

Bari is a powerful play written by Shahid Nadeem. It is about gender violence and discrimination and has a specific refrence to the discriminatory laws. It is the story of four women belonging to different social backgrounds in a prison cell: Jannat, an old woman arrested by the Police to put pressure on her fugitive son; Jameela, a young woman sentenced to death for killing her husband; Maryam, a dervaish woman arrested for dancing at a shrine, in violation of the law against woman’s dancing and Zahida, a middle class activist who is charged with protesting against the military regime’s ban on any form of dissent.
Cast:
Ravi Shumaila Taj
Zahida Sehrish Qadir
Jannat Tehrim Shafiq
Jamila Nataliya Karanjia
Mariam Aisha Bukhteyar

Some Days Ago
16th March
Directed By: Saeed Kazemiyan
A story about the romantic life of women in Iran.
Cast:
Negin Hamidi
Sahel Modaresi
Mahsa Sobhani
Oh My Sweet Land
17th March
Directed By: Amir Nizar Zuabi – Corinne Jaber

They call it civil war but there’s nothing civil in this this. Nothing civil at all. They came from Damascus, from Halab, from Banias where the bombs fall day and night and wounded children look like sleeping angles.
Cast:
Corinne Jaber

Jadl-e-Azal
18th March
Directed By: Masood-ur-Rehman
An adaptation of the tragedy of Rostam and Sohrab, from the classic 10th century Persian epic Shahnameh by Firdausi.
Performer:
Vajdaan Shah
Raheel Siddiqui
Erum Bashir
Syeda Maha Ali
Samhan Ghazi
Zain-ul-Abideen
Zarqa Naz
Abeera Pervaiz
Ejaz Khan
Zain Nazar
Aqeel Ahmed
Jahanzaib
Amir Naqvi
Maha Hassan
Najma Kifayat
Danish Abro
Ansaar
Rao Shahnawaz
Ahad
Wassay
Mahesh
Essa Khan
Usman Siddiqui
Asfand
Waleed
Hunaid
Saud
Ali Raza
Devi
20th March
Directed By: Joshen Chagger

Devi is Devi (Goddess) is an exploration of the Sufi saying, ‘Death before you dire. It is performedn by three artists with three very different forms of expression: experimental movement, Bharatnatyam dance and live vocals music.
Performer:
Joshinder Chagger
Jaya Karan
Parvyn Singh Bennett

Jinnay Lahore Nahin Vekhya
19th March
Directed By: Sheema Kirmani
Jinnay Lahore Nahin Vekhya is a story of 1947, set in Lahore, immediately after partition. An immigrant family has been allotted a Haveli abandoned by a Hindu family. After having spent many torturous months in ‘mohajir camps’, the family now looks forward with relief to the prospect of settling down in their new home and starting a new life.
Cast:
Sheema Kermani
Mehmood Bhatti
Zainab Zaidi
Abeera
Harris Khan
Waheed Ali
Adnan Haroon
Sonu Imran Bhatti
Anwaaruddin
Madeeha
Imran Khan
Umair
Dawood
Rani
Leela Chanesaar
21th March
Directed By: Shahnawaz Bhatti

Leela is a traditional story which dates back to the time of Jam Chanesar, one of the Soomra ruler.
Cast:
Aqsa Ahad
Fatima Rind
Sheeraz Khan
Shifa Agha
Pushmina
Najma Kawaish
Shahbaz Baloch
Anu Solangi

Raaz-o-Niaz/Open Couple
22th March
Directed By: Meesam Naqvi
RAAZ-O-NIAZ: Raaz-o-Niaz explores the poetic beauty of two complete strangers finding solace in each other arms and discovering their better selves.
Cast:
Erum Bashir
Nazar ul Hasan
Mohsin Ali Shah
Kiran Siddiqui
Pagla Ghoda
23rd & 24th March
Directed By: Zarqa Naz

The story begins with four men – Karthik , Satu, Himadri and Sashi- getting drunk while playing cards near a burning pyre in a crematorium. The men have just cremated an unknown woman and are waiting for the pyre to die out.
Cast:
Saad Zameer Fareedi
Mariya Saad
Syed Arsalan
Muneeb Baig
Mujtuba Zaidi

Doleh Darya Khan
23rd March
Directed By: Ali Roshan
During the reign of Jam Nizamuddin of the Samma Dynasty (1461-1508), Sindh was a land of Peace and justice and an educational centre in the region. Afamous warrior and patriot, Doleh Darya Khan was the Chief of army and the savior of Sindh at that tim. Known for his bravery and selfless effort, his name has gone down in history, and no enemy dared attack Sindh while he was alive. Tragically, that uncommon man was martyred by conspiracies spread by his own people.
Cast:
Riyaz Hussain Soomro
Nizam Chandio
Ashiq Dayo
Najma Kawish
Lareb Sajan
Sattar Lar
Folk Rung
23rd March
Directed By: Nafees Ahmed

A performance show casing some of the most engaging folk music from across the country. Songs in a number of Pakistani Languages will be performed. The show is performed by graduates of NAPA and features Akhtar Chinar as a special guest artist.
Performers:
Akhtar Chanal Zehri & Group
Muhammad Hassan & Group
Group Of Napa Music Students

Dostana
24th March
Directed By: Farhan Alam
Dostana a theater of physical comedy is a form of comedy focused on manipulation of the body for. A humorous effect. It can include slapstick, clowning, mime, physical stunts, or making funny faces. Dostana Focuses on friendship.
Cast:
Aqeel Ahmed
Naveed Kamal
Sarmad Khan
Farhan Alam Siddiqui
Bari
24th March
Directed By: Shahid Nadeem

Bari is a powerful play written by Shahid Nadeem. It is about gender violence and discrimination and has a specific refrence to the discriminatory laws. It is the story of four women belonging to different social backgrounds in a prison cell: Jannat, an old woman arrested by the Police to put pressure on her fugitive son; Jameela, a young woman sentenced to death for killing her husband; Maryam, a dervaish woman arrested for dancing at a shrine, in violation of the law against woman’s dancing and Zahida, a middle class activist who is charged with protesting against the military regime’s ban on any form of dissent.
Performers:
Negin Hamidi
Sahel Modaresi
Mahsa Sobhani

Year Of The Fish
25th & 26th March
Directed By: Jakob Karlsruhe
The pupils are already attracted by fascist movement of the 30s in Germany and in Europe, and their teacher is under pressure to keep up his humanistic ideals. When conflicts are getting out of control During a youth camp and a murder occurs, the teacher is again confronted by the blind ideology and the racist and militaristic propaganda of a dictatorial system.
Cast:
Aqeel Ahmed
Naveed Kamal
Sarmad Khan
Farhan Alam Siddiqui
Mad In Italy
27th March
Directed By: Nicola Fabio Lepore

Mezzotono are an a cappella group, performing their repertoire of Italian songs using only their voices. Mezzotono are recognized around the world for their fresh, original performances.
Cast:
Nicola Fabio Lepore
Alessandro Gnolfo
Luigi Nardiello
Tania Pugliese
Daniela Felicia Desideri

Heer Project
28th March
Directed By: Bakhtawar Mazhar & Zain Ahmed
A retelling of the story of Heer Ranjha from the viewpoint of Heer, incorporating modern poetry as well as dance and music to retell the iconic love-tale from a feminist perspective.
Cast:
Shabana Hassan
Hajra Yamin
Syeda Maha Ali
Bakhtawar Mazhar
Vajdaan Shah
Zashanne Malik
Journey
29th March
Directed By: Frida Neri & Ahsan Bari

The sounds of Kolachi and Cabtus Animae Ensemble collaborate on Dante meets Bhitai in a show called “Ishq: I’ amor che move il sole e I’ altre stelle (the love that moves the sun and the other stars) the story of a soul”. The two poets are placed in dialogue in an audio-visual-musical performance, revealing how close the two cultures are: the supreme love, the heavenly love that moves the stars into Dante and into the Sufi mystique divine.
Cast:
Frida Neri
Anissa Gouizi
Fabio Mina
Gionni Di Clemente
Saif Abbas Rizwan
Aziz Kazi

Dottok-e-Lug
30th & 31st March
Directed By: Kashif Hussain
An adaptation of Isen’s classic A Doll’s House. Many years ag, Nazaneen forged her father’s signature and took out a loan to help her, husband, Attaullah. Years later, her secret is going to be exposed by Gohram, one of her husband’s employees, whom her husband is threatening to fire from his job. Attaullah fires Gohram in spite of Nazanee’s entreaties, and Gohram reveals Nazaneen’s illegal actions in a letter to her husband.
Cast:
Ghazain Abbas
Najma Kifayat
Shahab Khan
Aisha Bakhtyar
Hafeez Lehri
Samina Sehar
Dastangoi
30th March
Directed By: Nazar-ul-Hassan

This form of storytelling was very popular and one of the tales that gained a lot of popularity was The Adventures of Amir Hamza or Dastan-e-Amir Hamza.This time the group Dastangoi is performing 5 Ayyar Bachian from Tilism-e-Hoshruba and an original contemporary Dastan.
Cast:
Fawad Khan
Nazr-ul-Hassan
Meesam Naqvi
Zarqa Naz

Contemporary Music Concert
30th March
Directed By: Nafees Ahmed
The concert explores some of the new trends in contemporary music in Pakistan. NAPA collaborations and new influences from around the world.
Cast:
Kaya (Band)
Nigel Bobby & Band
Group Of Music Students of Napa
Sultan
31th March
Directed By: Uzma Sabeen

The story revolves around the Princess Sherzade and the evil Vazeer who wishes to marry the Princess in order to win control of the whole Kingdom.
Cast:
Haris Khan
Ahmer Hussain
Hammad Khan
Tehreem Shafi
Fraz Chottani
Samina Seher
Rachna Kirpalani
Kashaf

Playlist
31st March
Directed By: Ensemble
The Playlist is a musical production that is part investigation and part meditation on this abuse of music and human body and soul.
Cast:
Jakob Weiss
Sunil Shanker
Elmira Bahrami
Joshinder Chagger
Fawad Khan