In Islamabad, Kuch Khaas has over the recent past emerged as a hub of cultural activity. Their initiative titled ‘Insolent Knights’ has traditionally been characterised by a series of monologues and short forms. The last showcase however, was a full length play, a theatrical adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s ‘Snow, Glass, Apples’ which achieved new heights of grandeur relative to the scale of their earlier performances.
With Bright Lights, Big City, Insolent Knights aimed to take on an even more ambitious initiative by presenting an ‘Ode to Broadway’, incorporating live singing, live piano music and dancing.
Amid a crisp, winter evening in the capital city, theatre enthusiasts wrapped in thick coats and shawls, thronged the open air venue of Kuch Khaas, sheltered by a black canopy that quivered intermittently from the nippy breeze. Audience members sat ensconced in anticipation of a performance of Insolent Knights that was one of its kind.
In terms of treatment, the play had a minimalist setting with basic costumes and props akin to Ajoka theatre’s productions and Naseerudin Shah’s recent ‘A Walk in the Woods’. While aesthetically the play might have lacked the splendour of Nida Butt’s high budget musicals, its content and performances made it an engaging watch.
In this day and age where young troupes tend to fall back on borrowed scripts, this team boldly opted for an original script. The narrative (written by Osman Khalid Butt and Tülin Khalid-Azim) centres around the audition of a sought after Broadway production which brings together a group of budding thespians who dream big of stardom and success. The happy-go-lucky, aspiring performers are thrown to the wolves with a hard-nosed production team (played by Butt, Azim and Natasha Ejaz) handling the casting.
The characters passionately interact with each other through evocative musical exchanges and rhythmic dance movements. The emotions of the play were raw and the enactment gritty and sensual; the resulting potion that brewed on stage was potent. It was the intensity of many of the well written sequences which really hit home and transported the viewers to a world of music and melodrama. The ensemble shared a great chemistry that translated into many magical moments. Moreover, even amid the histrionics, the scenes never lost a sense of realism; the characters were relatable and their emotions could be felt deeply.
Singer Uzair Jaswal of Coke Studio fame was an asset to the play not just for enhancing its glamour but especially because of his musical contribution. The delivery of his mellifluous notes warmed the senses, particularly his enchanting rendition of ‘He lives in you’ from Disney’s Lion King that was soaked in melody. Emaan Shahid who played a meek, battle scarred girl had some powerful scenes with Jaswal which the two sunk their teeth into.
Stage debutante Fatima Shakeel was a complete natural and her balmy voice that hovered elegantly over the live piano ballad (played by Durran Amin), was a treat to hear. One of the highlights of the play was her singing ‘I wanna be where the people are’ (from the OST of Disney’s The Little Mermaid) as if pouring her heart out in a monologue, whilst dramatically walking across the stage. This gut wrenching enactment aptly captured the pent up emotions of her character.
Natasha Ejaz proved herself to be an actor and singer par excellence. In total command of her facial expressions and musical notes, she emerged as a powerhouse performer. She even shouldered the responsibility of the play’s musical direction with dexterity. The musical pieces were interwoven with the dialogues seamlessly and executed with élan. As the performance progressed, a whiff of nostalgia pervaded the arena; audience members sang along, clapped together and tapped their feet to their childhood tunes excitedly.
Zainab Qaiserani, another regular member of Insolent Knights was laugh-out-loud funny in her comical role but towards the climax, expressed a moment of anxiety most sensitively - a trajectory that established her more than just a caricature.
The choreography by Osman Khalid Butt was the backbone of the performance; actors swayed in graceful movements, spreading across the stage tactfully. Some dance routines were such that different clusters of actors were assigned separate steps and the movement blended together in a state of idyllic harmony, creating on stage a visual feast. The dance reached its pinnacle during the rendition of ‘Hindi Sad Diamonds’ which had an electrifying momentum and the performers had the audience eating right out of their hands. Tap dance was assimilated beautifully in a punchy scene of Tülin Khalid-Azim and quite artistically personified anger. It is rare to witness this dance from on a local stage and Azim did full justice to the complex steps. It was not just dance that she was impressive at; her expressive acting was equally impactful; spontaneous and effortless.
The multi-talented Osman Khalid Butt sailed through his role of a cold, pejorative director who reflects vulnerability in a stirring sequence when he laments not following his true calling. He was also in charge of the directorial department, a part he likewise did complete justice to.
Other cast members included, Rabia Pasha, Zarnab Rashid, Saiban Khaliq, Mustafa Ali Khan, Verdah Rehan Khan, Faizaan Ahab, Fareeha Raza and Sikandar Vincent.
Bright Lights, Big City was a magnificent ode to Broadway theatre that poignantly portrayed the essence of drama as being a profound journey of passion and liberation. It echoed the inspiration of performers that cultivates their ability to invest a part of themselves in their art by completely submitting themselves to it. This philosophy manifested itself in the moving dialogue: “Art heals, art educates, art enlightens.” It is perhaps this ethos which has extracted such fine work from the creative team of Insolent Knights whose earnest efforts have helped carve a quality production.
