A Midsummer Night's Dream Ends!

Certain moments in life have a surreal quality. Both hubby dear and myself experienced such a moment these past ten days when we worked together in the wonderful production of NAPA's 'Beech Bahar kee Raat ka Sapna', an Urdu translation of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

It was an experience like no other. Of course what made it very special was the fact that both of us played the role of King and Queen (Theseus and Hippolyta) and being together on the stage as a couple was as amazing as it is in real life!

It was hubby dear's first public performance and he did an impressive job as Duke Theseus or Tabrez. A huge thanks to all our friends and family members who came to watch the play - it meant a lot to both of us!

I thought that acting was a simple profession but now, after this stint, I have realized what hard work and patience is required to perform and put on a great show everyday (the play was for a duration of ten days at The Arts Council Karachi). Kudos to all the people at NAPA (actors, director, assistant director, stagehands, set designers) who make it all look so simple and effortless!

I was transported into a different world in these ten days. I met all sorts of people from different backgrounds who had come together for the same purpose, to do their best in order to make the play a success. These people shed their own self for a few hours and assumed the identities of fictional characters. Actors are such multifaceted people. You never know their stories, their dreams, or their real self but they remain alive in your memory as a particular character which made you laugh, or brought tears in your eyes or left you in awe and wonder. All they want is your appreciation and love. All they want is applause.

We got a lot of applause from our audience each day. Three cheers for the entire team of the play!

[Photographs courtesy my dear friends Atif Asad Jan and Sabrina. Thanks guys! Also courtesy Mohammad Talha Ghouri]

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