MMA
NAPA’s Karachi Laughter Fest, that will commence from Wednesday 3rd of January, will feature the following:
Play: Crash Landing
Date: 3rd & 4th Jan 2018 at 8:00pm NAPA Auditorium
Director: Rauf Afridi
Synopsis:
Playboy Jimmy is an architect based in Dubai. He lives with his fiancée, LIA airline stewardess Zareena —and BIA stewardess Najma—and NIA stewardess Nargis. However, none of the women know about the other two, and this is exactly the way Jimmy has designed it. This works just fine as long as their flight schedules only bring them home every three days. Jimmy’s live-in cook, Mamoo, is key in pulling off this ruse, managing three sets of clothing, photographs, bed linens, and food preferences.
However, this perfect schedule is bound to run into trouble sometime. Things begin to unravel when there is a change to the women’s flight orders, making it increasingly difficult to keep them apart, and eventually bringing all three of them home on the same day. In addition, Jimmy’s longtime friend from Pindi, Bashir, has arrived in town unexpectedly. He is brought in on the outrageous arrangement and finds himself entangled in trying to help Jimmy and Mamoo pull it off during the course of a single day.
Will they survive the day? And at what price? It just may be too much for them to handle!
Cast:
- Hammad Siddiqui Mamoo
- Rauf Afridi Bashir
- Aqsa Qureshi Zareena
- Bani Mirza Nargis
- Najma Kiyafat Najma
- Hassan Khan Jimmy
Director’s Info:
Rauf Afridi is a graduate of NAPA. He has acted extensively with the NAPA Repertory Theatre (NRT). He has hosted the popular TV show ‘Reporter Pakistani’.
He has produced and directed theatre plays such as ‘Da Baghi Marg’ and children’s play ‘Tarzaan’ & ‘Sindbad’. He is currently producing TV plays, commercials and documentaries.
Play: Kya Aap Pagal Hain
Date: 5th & 6th Jan 2018 at 8:00pm NAPA Auditorium
Director: Aqeel Ahmed
Synopsis:
The play is a classic romantic farce based on two couples and their desire to marry in the face of great parental opposition. Nawab Sahib wants his daughter Mehr Bano to wed his nephew Naqi but Naqi loves Dilara and Mehr Bano wants to marry Zaki. In their effort to convince Nawab Sahib a series of misunderstandings ensues creating farcical situations of great mirth and chaos.
Cast List:
- Kashif hussain Zaki
- Farhan Alam Nawab Naqi
- Usman Mazhar Nawab Sahab
- Syed Jameel Jamal Shah & ilm deen
- Areeba Khan Niazi Nurse Shameem
- Tehreem Shafiq Dilara
- Shabana Hassan Mehru
- Irfan Bardai Yazdani
About Director
Aqeel Ahmed graduated from NAPA In 2014. He has acted in number of plays at NAPA including Khel Khel Mein, Zard Patton ka Ban, Anjame Muhabbat, Raat, Juloos and Charmed Ring with American director Laquetta Carpenter. He also had an opportunity to work with Brigel Gjoka and Mattia Gandini in 2015. He had been an acting teacher for children at The Saya Homes Orphanage in Jhelum and Tafsal in Karachi. As a theatre director, Aqeel has put up a production of Kamal Ahmed Rizvi’s Ek biwi ka sawaal hy baba in Napa’s Young Directors festival in 2017.
Dastangoi: Qissa Kahani
Date: 6th Jan 2018 at 6:00pm NAPA Basement
Director: Meesam Naqvi
Synopsis:
Qissa Kahani is a performance of comic short stories and essays by some of the greatest Urdu writers. It is performed by the recently trained dastango from the Revival of Dastangoi project of the National Academy of Performing Arts, Society for Music and Repertory Theatre and Karachi Youth Initiative.
Director Info:
Meesam Naqvi is an actor, director and dastango. He is a faculty member at NAPA and has recently trained a number of youth in the art of storytelling.
Standup comedy: Don’t Laugh, I’m Serious
Date: 7th Jan 2018 at 6:00pm NAPA Basement
Director: Faheem Azam
Synopsis:
| “Don’t Laugh, I’m Serious!” is a Stand-up comedy act through which the performer sheds light on various questionable behaviors of the Pakistani society. The performer also speaks of the hypocrisy through the tongue in cheek humorous lines and mimicry. |
Cast List:
Faheem Azam (Solo Performer)
Director Info:
Faheem Azam cannot be defined by one title such as Actor, Writer, Director, Stand-up Comedy performer or Trainer etc. as he dynamically keeps growing in all these areas. He is truly a multifaceted professional with strong creative capabilities. He captivates, entertains and educates people through his comedy, scripts, Training and Talks etc. He has done motivational speaking at forums like TEDx, KAHO and Kuch Khaas. Faheem Azam performs Stand-up Comedy under the title “Don’t Laugh, I’m Serious”. He has been coaching amateur actors for theatre and TV, for almost a decade and now he is coaching Stand-up comedy performers. A leading performer, member and organizer of the platform “Comedy Scene”, his guidance and vision have helped this platform produce successful shows and bring in aspiring performers in Comedy.
Play: Burqavaganza
Date: 7th & 8th Jan 2018 at 8:00pm NAPA Auditorium
Director: Shumaila Taj
Synopsis:
Burqavangza is a burlesque fantasy play about the burqa revolution written by Shahid Nadeem. At a time when the burqa has taken over the country, two lovers ‘Haseena’ and ‘Khoobru ‘ decide to challenge the burqa brigade. The lovers are joined by a duo of thieves and they together defy the police.
In the form of short skits this play is a complete satirical odyssey where two Mullahs provide the doctrine of life in this new burqa universe. Hypocrisy of society and douncle standards are all unveiled in this play where eventually tiring of the constraints placed on them the lovers get rid of their veils for a new freedom.
Cast list:
- Umair Rafiq Khoobra
- Najma Kifayat Haseena
- Mahjabeen Rehman Multiple Characters
- Damiyanti Gosai Multiple Characters
- Muhammad Ghani Multiple Characters
- Tanveer Gill Multiple Characters
- Ahsan Ali Multiple Characters
About the Director:
Shumaila Taj has a Master’s degree in English Literature from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan. She has taught creative writing, communication and other language skills. She completed her diploma from the National Academy of Performing Arts in September 2016. She directed a private project at Karachi University with her group The Altruist for Active Citizens an organization managed by the British Council.
She has acted in a number of plays at NAPA and has directed a Punjabi language play Raat for the NAPA Young Directors Festival in January 2017. She has written the play ‘Baaztab’ which was performed at the NAPA International Theatre and Music Festival March 2017.
Play: Chacha Chakkan
Date: 9th & 10th Jan 2018 at 8:00pm NAPA Auditorium
Director: Zarqa Naz
Synopsis:
Chacha Chakkan likes to be involved in all that is taking place in his home. His involvement often leads to a great deal of trouble for his family and all those around him. In just 24 hours the misadventures of Chacha Chakkan are enough to drive his long suffering wife to distraction. Even the simple act of hanging a picture becomes a long drawn out marathon of disasters when Chacha Chakan decides to take matters in to his own hands.
The play is a delightful look at one of the most beloved eccentric characters from Urdu Literature.
Cast List:
- Farhan Alam Chacha
- Aasiya Alam Chachi
- Syed Arsalan Bundu
- Imran Fattani Khan Sahab
- Muzamil Ahmed Moda
- Zain Nazar Molvi Sahab
- Ibad Alam Mir Baqir Ali
- Roohi Ahmed Dhoban
- Harshika Children
- Hussnain Children
About the Director:
Zarqa naz graduated from NAPA in 2016. She has directed three plays, Salgirah, Ishq
ke baad and Heer Ranjha in the NAPA Young Director Theatre & Music Showcase 2017. She has acted in plays like Sau Din Chor Ke, Aasman Se Gira, and Khuwabon ke Musafir. She has also acted on TV.
Play: Lafrha Returns
Date: 11th & 12th Jan 2018 at 8:00pm NAPA Auditorium
Director: Fraz Chhotani
Written by: Muhammad Younus Chhotani
Synopsis:
Bachu Bhai is a builder who likes to talk big. He married a girl from a rich family in the hope of making it big but that has not worked out so well for him. He is now planning a second marriage and a new building to finance this new marriage. He must work around tenants reluctant to move out of the old building and a very suspicious brother in law if his plans are to succeed and he has only his not so bright nephew Zubair to help him.
Cast detail:
- Hammad siddique Bachchu Bhai
- Usman Mazhar Zubair
- Shabana Hassan Bachchu’s wife
- Syed Muhamad Jameel Brother-in-law
- Muhammad Ghani Haseen Gul khan
- Muhammad Zaman Achchan qasai
- Imran Fattani Wakeel
- Tanveer Gill Bhola Kaka
About the Director:
Fraz Chhotani graduated from NAPA in 2012. He has acted in a number of plays with the NRT including Merchant of Venice, Lao to Qal Nama Mera, Kuttay, Baba Jalinoos, Sau Din Chor ke among others. He has worked with a number of directors as a lighting designer and with Mateela Films as an Assistant Director.
Standup Comedy: JO BAAT HAI
Date: 13thJan 2018 at 6:00pm NAPA Basement
Director: Usman Mazhar
Synopsis:
A standup comedy show about pop culture of Pakistan, personal stories and nostalgia
which will have 4 performers; a host, couple of opening acts of roughly 10 minutes each and Usman Mazhar as the headliner for about 1 hour.
Cast List:
- Usman Mazhar
- Tabish Hashmi
- Osama Siddiqui
- Natalia Gul
Director info:
Actor by profession, Usman Mazhar is a man of many talents. One of his traits is being a standup comedian along with having experience as a writer, teacher, and trainer. He started performing in standup comedy events with the troupe called Comedy Scene in September 2016. Since then he has performed standup comedy or hosting in over 25 shows in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Dubai.
Play: Dil e Nadan
Date: 13th & 14th Jan 2018 at 8:00pm NAPA Auditorium
Director: Omair Rana
Synopsis:
Dil-e-Nadaan is based on the Neil Simon hit comedy, The Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Yawar is a middle aged man in the middle of a crisis. He feels his youth is finally slipping away from his hands, and decides the only way to regain a little bit of fleeting excitement is by having an affair. Using his mother’s apartment as the setting for the plan, he invites 3 different women to make overtures, but this innocent soul fails miserably at every turn. Additionally, the outrageous characters make this one crazy ride!
Cast List:
- Omair Rana Yawar
- Nadia Afgan Mehreen
- Rasti Farooq Shayan
- Zainab Ahmed Tania
- Huma Ijaz Zaman Rabia
About the Director:
With the direction of over 50 bilingual theatre plays under his belt, Omair Rana is a true powerhouse of the Pakistani theatre scene. In addition, Omair has extensive acting experience in countless English and Urdu stage plays, TV serials, films, and commercials, as well as teaching theatre. We are especially excited to have this true star of the stage and screen take the helm as both director and lead actor in this production.
Standup Comedy: Larki Wonderful
Date: 14thJan 2018 at 6:00pm NAPA Basement
Director: Faiza Saleem
About Khawatoons:
The Khawatoons are Pakistan’s first all-girl improv comedy troupe. The troupe has been created and trained by Faiza Saleem. The show will consist of one MC and about 4-5 performers. Everything will be non-scripted and performed on the spot on the basis of audience suggestions. The show format is similar to Who’s line is it anyway? The Khawatoons have done several shows in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rahim Yar Khan and Topi. Faiza has been covered by Times of India and BBC News a number of times for her work with regards to founding and building The Khawatoons.
Names of The Khawatoons:
- Faiza Saleem
- Amtul Baweja
- Natalia Jillani
- Jaweria Khan
- Sara Ashraf
- Fatima Altaf
About Director:
Faiza Saleem is a lawyer turned comedienne, known nationally and internationally for bringing women into comedy. She is Pakistan’s first female social media entertainer and also the founder and director of South Asia’s first all-female comedy troupe, The Khawatoons. She is a theatre actor, improv artist, standup comic and also does TV and film.
