The Sunay'ha Theatre Festival Spring 2005

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THE SUNAY'HA THEATRE FESTIVAL

Sunay'ha is Punjabi for Invitation.

The Sunay'ha Festival provides a unique invitation to theatre artists and the general public to explore and participate in the work of some of Pakistan's most significant theatre-makers.

SUNAY'HA is dynamic event with brings together many different art forms- theatre, dance and film- with the work of practitioners from Pakistan at the core, exploring through workshops, debates and performance important questions as to the presence of theatre in today's globalized world.

Three visiting practitioners offer alternative narratives to Pakistan's theatre establishment presenting aesthetically innovative performance work, expressions of a long struggle against a chequered history, thwarted democracy and continuation of military regime. These authentic voices from Pakistan are brought to the UK to create dialogue, working with prominent British artists in sharing theatrical approaches.

Sunay'ha showcases the result of these interactions, allowing theatre practitioners and the general public to sample possibilities of furthering collaborations. Festival events also feature film screenings, workshops, discussions, a symposium and a forum of British artistic responses to Pakistan, allowing an arena to reflect upon the social, political, cultural and aesthetic implications of the work.

Sunay'ha is being held at oh!art Oxford House, Derbyshire Road, Bethnal Green, E2 6HG, 22-24 April 2005

Click here for the e-flyer, with schedule, map and further information

Events:
Theatre from Pakistan - three pieces from Pakistan will be brought by Pakistani practitioners to UK where they will be worked on in collaboration with UK practitioners, allowing exchange of theatrical approaches towards performed play readings and a dance performance. Artists and work involved include:

Totarama (Parrot-king) by Sarmad Sehbai, visiting writer/ director.
UK collaborator: Rebecca Manson Jones (Director, Almeida)
Translated from Punjabi and performed in English, 90 minutes

Set street side, the Parrot selects the fate cards of the characters around him; villagers, children, policemen, sellers of false witnesses, swindlers, con-men, a mad man living in the garbage can and a possessed girl. The Parrot, the supreme rationality, succeeds in deceptively engaging the audience and the characters in a process of self strangulation- converting the Punjabi folk hero into a dog. The play juxtaposes a folk tale rhythm with non-linear din- an imagistic soundscape painted with multiple voices and continuously shifting scenery which carries the ordinary and the sublime, the rational and irrational and the sacred and profane in one massive flow...

Manson Jones brings her expertise in juggling languages and cultures to
this explosion of Pakistani way-side city life that was banned under Pakistan's General Zia in the 80's.

Sehbai: 'the werewolf of Pakistan's literati.' The Nation

Pellawi (Orrissi classical dance) by Sheema Kermani, visiting dancer, director. UK collaborator: Penny Saunders (Set and video designer, Forkbeard Fantasy)
20 minutes

Odissi/Orissi, an Indian classical dance form from the state of Orissa, is characterized by fluidity of the upper torso, although the mudras and expressions are similar to Bharatnatyam. Odissi performances are traditionally based on the popular devotion to Lord Krishna and the verses of the Sanskrit play Geet Govinda. The form was near extinction during British colonialism, and in Pakistan few professionally trained dancers sustain the tradition.

Saunder's provides a visual response interacting with Kermani's rendering of this ancient dance form, adapted to a chapel setting.

'scintillating' Mehraab

Sheesh Mehal (Hall of Mirrors) by Najam Hussain Syed, with visiting director Farhan Maqsood. UK Collaborator: Dominic Rai (Man Mela)
Performed in Punjabi, 45 minutes

The remnants of Sheesh Mehal are being sold. A Salesman, an actress and a general each make sales pitches to a customer who thinks them haunted by the supernatural. A classic and hauntingly beautiful verse play by one of Pakistan's major contemporary poets, performed in Punjabi.

Najam Hussain: 'The greatest living Punjabi poet... the vanguard of Punjabi poetry, drama and criticism.' Pancham

Film screenings from Pakistan - relating the social, political and cultural contexts of making theatre in Pakistan.
Films to be included are:

Laatoo by Faizaan Peerzada and Alix Philippon 'Opening Pandoras box... full of surprises' Lahore Today
(Documentary, 90 minutes, In English, 2002)
Film makers Faizaan Peerzada and Alix Philippon explores the trials and tribulations in the lives of a handful of professional dancers - Nahhed Sidiqqui, Sheema Kermani, Tahreem Mitha and Fasi-ur Rehman- against the underworld dance culture in Pakistan- from Eunuchs, Shrines, Pashto 'hot clips' to the fashion shows and disco nights in the lawns of the elite. Contrasting the ethereal with the ribald, Laatoo highlights the hypocrisy of Pakistani society where so many dance forms prevail.

Fankar Gali by Sarmad Sehbai 'Scintillating cuts that fit into reality's fuzzy frame like windows of a passing train' The Nation
(Tele-film, 90 minutes, In Urdu with English Subtitles, 1990)
Fankar Gali draws inspiration from the actual Fankar Mandi which comes to life every night in the heart of Karachi's downtown. Singers, musicians, dancers- and all types of stage performers- await the chance to entertain and earn a livelihood. Sanwal is one of these struggling entertainers whose spontaneous humour often offends the audience. Salomi, a small time stage-performer is another victim of the theatre mafia and has to sell herself to the gallery. They live on lies and fantasies, hiding behind postures and fictitious worlds, disguising their failures in make-believe stories, romancing with each other by mimicking their matinee idols. Another world lies beyond these dark shadows- a world of glamour, sizzling with wealth and fame. Like others, they yearn to touch this inaccessible tower of prosperity.

No-one Believes The Professor by Farjad Nabi First prize at Film South Asia, Kathmandu 2003
(Documentary, 20 minutes, Urdu/ English with subtitles, 1999)
No One Believes the Professor introduces the sixty something year old Orpheus Augustus Marcks a.k.a Professor sahib; actor, poet, philosopher, athlete, hopeful Oscar, Olympics and Nobel Prize winner who walks the line between genius and divine madness and draws both jeers and admiration from his audience. An experimental documentary investigation into the life of a man whose self-belief shocks even the most optimistic, a man who lives in two worlds and brings reassurance for the mortal beings who surround him.

The Forgotten Song by Adnan Malik
(Documentary, 90 minutes, Urdu, 2004)
The Lahore film industry has reflected and adapted to the changing mood's in Pakistan's socio-politico-cultural sphere over its tumultuous history, and has morphed from the sole source of family entertainment that unified the classes into a stigmatized sex and violence industry. This comprehensive documentary reconstructs the demise of Lollywood and deconstructs the various forces that have sidelined the culture of cinema in Pakistan today.

Mughals of the Road by Sarmad Sehbai
(Documentary, 45 minutes, English, 1999)
Lavishly decorated trucks, art on wheels, spin a distinct indigenous graffiti. Folk and classical motifs are traced back to the Mughal Empire, through insightful interviews with art critics, drivers and truck craftsmen. The film is shot on location, in highway tea stalls, on the road, in the shrines, providing an off-beat insight to Pakistan's contemporary 'traffic culture'. This enlightening documentary is based on two years research by Dr Anna Schmidt, Heidelberg University, and directed by Sarmad Sehbai.

Workshops by Pakistani Practitioners - 2-hour practical interactions on specialist areas open to individuals with an artistic background, dance, music, creative writing, theatre:
Writing by Sarmad Sehbai on Displacing the colonial centre of English Language
Storytelling by Sheema Kermani on How to tell a story in the mode of Natyashastra using dance, text and music
Direction by Farhan Maqsood on Contemporary Folk Interpretations

Symposium on Art + Politics - Can the language of art ever replace the language of politics? A theatricalised half day symposium with guest panellists drawn from political and artistic backgrounds.

Responses - British artists from various mediums explore the effect of Pakistan on their work- film, music, poetry, visual art etc.. Followed by discursive responses from the visiting Pakistani practitioners and the general public.

Provocations - Organic discussions in the café on burning statements/ questions in relation to the Festival eg. Why are there so few British Muslim characters on the stage?, Does governmental support of art mean anything different in Pakistan than it does in UK?

Artists from Pakistan and work to be staged in Sunay'ha:

Sheema Kermani is one of the most highly acclaimed classical dancers in Pakistan, trained in both Bharata Natyam and Odissi styles of dance.  She has also choreographed a number of dances and among her well known productions is Indus and Europa. In 1981, Sheema formed Tehrik-e-Niswan, an NGO devoted to raising awareness with regard to women's issues through cultural activities, most notably through the stage, video, and television.  Since 1984 she has been teaching dance and continues to perform.  She has advocated women's issues and general human rights in performances and conferences worldwide, including the 1995 Beijing World Conference.

Sarmad Sehbai is a poet, playwright and director, of film and theatre, Sarmad Sehbai is known in Pakistan for his unorthodox approach towards art and culture. He pioneered modern theatre with his very first play The Dark Room. He has been published and performed in English, Punjabi and Urdu. His poetry revolutionised the poetic idiom, wherein he introduced new forms and original imagery. His published work includes four collections of poems and stage plays. Most of his visual productions have received national and international awards. Currently he is working on a novel in the English language.

Farhan Maqsood is one of Pakistan's most promising young director, currently studying at Beaconhouse University's new theatre and film department. Prior to this, he has worked with Punjab Lok Rahs as an actor/singer and director, from 1997-2000, studied filmmaking, editing and documentary production from NCA, 2001. He has conducted several workshops on street theatre and its relevance, on a national level, directed 4 plays and a number of short films. His own poetry has been published in Pancham and he performed Sufi poetry recitations at LEAF, 2000-03, audiocassettes by Rut Lekha. Presently he is acting in a TV serial, writing his own TV serial and composing music for 3 other programmes.

UK Artists:

UK collaborators include:

Dominic Rai (Director/Dramaturg, UK)
Dominic Rai is a director, dramaturg and experienced workshop leader with a special interest in developing new writing and new young audiences. He has been artistic director of Mán Melá, a British Asian theatre company specialising in new writing. Mán Melá productions include The Cornershop, Across the Black Waters, The Dangers of Common Sense, We Sinful Women, Azadi: The Story of Freedom, The Untouchable Century and Asian Voices.

Rebecca Manson Jones (Director, UK)
Currently resident at the re-opened Almeida Rebecca Manson Jones is part of Michael Attenborough's artistic team as Director of Almeida Projects the theatre's participatory programme. From 1998-2003 she was Associate Director for ATC, part of the team creating and directing theatrelab.net. Directing credits include: For Frontline as co-artistic director and co-founder: JUDITH BLOOM (Southwark Playhouse) NEW PLAYS, NEW DIRECTIONS (Soho Theatre); ROMEO OG JULIE a contemporary verse translation at the Odense Theatre Denmark; 666 - UK director of cult Spanish physical comedy (Riverside, Edinburgh and International tour); THE TEMPEST (Bridewell), MARINA FRAGMENTS WIP - adapted from Pericles with director/designer partnership Spikenard; TODAY'S SPECIAL (Leikin Loppu tour), THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN FARM (Young Vic Studio, Associate Director), THE COMING WORLD (Soho Theatre, Assistant Director). Rebecca has directed script development workshops for Frontline, Soho Theatre, Old Vic New Voices and Theatre Royal Haymarket.

Penny Saunders (Designer, Forkbeard Fantasy, UK)
Penny Saunders has been working with Forkbeard Fantasy since 1980, providing highly innovative mechanical sets, outsize costumes and bizarre gadgets. Forkbeard's latest show is currently on tour, including dates at the Hackney Empire, London.

Project Management:

The overall project is led and managed by Context Theatre. Dramaturg and artistic director Claire Pamment (cpamment@contextheatre.co.uk) is working for Context Theatre in Pakistan to develop the collaborations, whilst in the UK, whilst artistic director Zoe Svendsen (zsvendsen@contextheatre.co.uk) and Producer Kirsten Burrows (kirstenburrows@yahoo.co.uk) are developing the festival in the UK.

Context Theatre was created by Zoe Svendsen and Claire Pamment in 2002 with the idea that theatre needs to remember - overall, and in every moment of performance - what it is doing and why. Dramaturgy is a strong element of our work, keeping the questioning alive, and informing production and concept through constant research: into background, language, and current and historical events paralleling the particular story we are telling. We believe that theatre should exist to make people laugh, cry and think - and in relation to their own lives. Context Theatre is based in the UK and was first introduced to Pakistani Theatre practitioners last year on invitation by The British Council to create a project with young people in Islamabad. Claire Pamment's contact with inspiring Pakistani practitioners inspired this project.

Artistic Director: Claire Pamment (Context Theatre, UK)
Claire Pamment is the co-founder and Dramaturg of Context Theatre. She is currently running theatre programmes with Pakistan National Council of the Arts and has been teaching in the newly opened theatre department of Beaconhouse National University. In conjunction with an Arts Council Bursary, she is researching Pakistani Theatre 2003-2005. Claire also works as a freelance dramaturg and director has been involved in a range of collaborations, involving The British Council and a number of UK based companies: Escape Artists, Menagerie Theatre, Kali Theatre Company, Awry Theatre, Soho Theatre, Birmingham Rep and RADA.

Artistic Director (UK): Zoe Svendsen (Context Theatre)
Zoe Svendsen is the co-founder and Director of Context Theatre. Over the past few years she has been working as a freelance theatre director and translator, in Berlin, London and Cambridge, working on a range of projects with a variety of companies. She is currently pursuing a PhD in contemporary theatre aesthetics at the University of Cambridge. Recent directing credits include Crime to Rhyme and Sweetie Pie at the Hotbed New Writing Festival 2004, The Lover, by Harold Pinter (London), Try! Try! by Frank o'Hara (Cambridge Conference of Contemporary Poetry), Back and Forth (which Zoe also translated) for Context Theatre, and Der Gestiefelte Kater (Puss in Boots) (Berlin), Hoppla! (rehearsed reading, Revelations, The Gate). She is Head Reader at the Gate and was recently commissioned by company of angels and The Caird Co. to translate ‘I love this Country' for the Theatre Café series at the Arcola Theatre May 2004.

Producer (UK): Kirsten Burrows
Kirsten Burrows has over 10 years experience as a European road manager and concert production assistant. She has managed tours throughout France, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland with concerts in Denmark and Italy as well as the UK. Kirsten is also secretary for the company Jones Bruder Music which secured Arts Council England funding for a short film with accompanying musical composition. Kirsten is currently employed at oh!art in Bethnal Green as Chief Administrator.

Funding:

Sunay'ha: Invitation is made possible by a grant from the Arts Council and from Visiting Arts, and support from oh!art.

For further information contact:

Artistic Directors:
Claire Pamment (cpamment@contextheatre.co.uk)
Zoe Svendsen (zsvendsen@contextheatre.co.uk)

Producer:
Kirsten Burrows (kirstenburrows@yahoo.co.uk)

Subscribe to sunayha@contextheatre.co.uk for email updates

To save the above information, click here to download a PDF

The Launch:

Panel discussion with (from left to right) Badi Uzaman, Sarmad Sehbai, Claire Pamment, Arif Waqar & Zoe Svendsen

Wednesday 6th October 2004 @ Oh!Art at Oxford House

The British premiere of Pakistani films exploring the context of making
theatre in Pakistan, to launch the Sunay'ha festival. Click here for more...

6 pm
Documentary>
Laatoo by Faizaan Peerzada and Alix Phillippon: English (2002)
Laatoo highlights the hypocrisy regarding dance in Pakistan, exploring
classical forms of Kathak, Bhratnatyam, Orissy offset against the Mujras,
Fashion Shows, Dance Parties and a host of political tenures and religious
perspectives.

9 pm
Drama>
Fankar Gali by Sarmad Sehbai: Urdu with English subtitles (1990)
Uncensored version.

Fankar Gali is a dark portrayal of wayside artists in the streets of
Karachi exposing the back-stage of theatre culture in Pakistan.

Booking: Oh!Art at Oxford House 020 7739 9001

Venue:
Oh!Art at Oxford House
Derbyshire Street (off Bethnal Green road)
Bethnal Green
London
E2 6HG

Travel: 5 mins from Bethnal Green tube station.

Ticket price:
2 x films
£5 | £3 concession

1 x film
£3 | £2 concession

The Launch Press information:

Click here to download a PDF for more information...

Click here to access the Festival Press Area...

People & Films:

Click here to download a PDF on Faizaan Peerzada

Click here to download a PDF on Sarmad Sehbai

Click here to download a PDF on Fankar Gali

Background:

Phase 1
Vatandara

Vatandara ran between March-June 2004, promoting a dialogue between
theatre practitioners and young people in attempt to discover the
theatrical medium within a local context.

A series of weekly workshops were held with students participation from
Lok Rahs, Government College, Kinnaird College, NCA, Punjab University,
Hunrkada and Beaconhouse University. Each week students and the general
public had the opportunity to interact with diverse approaches to theatre
from Navid Shahzad's re-rendering of the Shakesperian text, Huma Safdar's
passion for Punjabi poetry and dramatic literature to Pappu Sain's sufic
dhol.

Phase 2
Sunay'ha Festival

Contributions from Pakistani theatre artists will be produced nationally
and internationally throughout 2004-5, stimulating a wider debate about
the theatrical medium in Pakistan- in a context of aesthetics, sociology,
politics and culture.

Click here to download a PDF on Theatre in Pakistan

© Context Theatre MMIV

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