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    Theatre Review: 'Bye Mishtake' - A Night Full of Laughter and Confusion

    Written by: Farheen Abdullah
    Posted on: March 06, 2017 | | 中文

    Ahmed (Hammad Khan), Mrs. FB (Muzaina Malik) and Teena (Hajra Yamin) as seen in the play

    Be it stadiums, cafés or homes, the past weekend had a majority of Pakistanis hooked to their screens to witness the last two matches of PSL 2017. However, while cricket fans were split between their favourite teams, theatre enthusiasts in Karachi were gathered to cheer for another group of performers altogether.

    Directed by M. Masood Ur Rehman, Bye Mishtake was a comedy play performed at the Arts Council Theatre Academy, Karachi, from 3rd to 5th March. Presented by Black Box Productions, the play revolves around the occurrences that take place at a local hotel run by a married couple. Depicting the events of a single night, the play brings confusion, chaos and puzzlement when gangster Salim Khaadi is apparently sprung from prison in order to tell his gang where he stashed their loot in the hotel. However, it turns out that the wrong Khaadi has been rescued from jail, who is a bit of a fool, and has no idea where the money is hidden. Further adding to the commotion are the female characters – Nimra, the man-eating manageress, Zoya, who keeps interrupting everyone, and Mrs. Fazeela Badruddin, a criminal lawyer who is bent on solving the mysteries surrounding the hotel.

    Theatre 'Bye Mishtake' Review: The three gangsters - Firdous (Farhan Alam), Khaadi (Syed M Jamil) and Ahmed

    The three gangsters: Firdous (Farhan Alam), Khaadi (Syed M Jamil) and Ahmed

    Featuring NAPA graduates Aqeel Ahmed, Kashif Hussain, Syeda Maha Ali and Farhan Alam, along with Hajra Yamin from Siachen as well as debutante Saeeda Mazhar, the cast consisted of a diverse group of actors who worked together brilliantly, thanks to their positive energy and great comic timing.

    An outstanding aspect of the play was that the team used a single set – the hotel lobby – for the entire duration of the performance. One might expect to lose interest after looking at the same setting and props for 90 minutes, but the exit doors situated on the stage, a main entrance, a stairway, and another made to look like a cupboard, left plenty of room to entertain one’s imagination. The timing of one character’s entrance and another’s exit using different doors was also commendable.

    Repetition was used remarkably to associate certain attitudes to the characters, such as Zoya (Syeda Maha Ali) who replied with ‘Yeh mera kaam nahi hai’ (this is not my job) to every chore she was asked to do, or Khaadi (Syed M. Jamil) who constantly stumbled on different objects and mentioned multiple times that his wife thought he was still in jail. The play came full circle on other occasions as well, such as the recurring romantic scenes between Teena and Ahmed, and the constant efforts of Major Mastan, the manager, and Mrs. FB to call the police while the gangsters distracted them each time. Hence, as the play progressed, the audience became well-accustomed to the distinct behaviours of the characters.

     

    The clever use of names, too, brought an element of humour. The three gangsters, for instance, were named Ahmed, Firdous and Khaadi, each reminding the audience of the famous Pakistani clothing brands. The hotel rooms were named after dry fruits: Chuaray (dry dates), Kajoo (cashew nuts), and Til (sesame) for the smallest room.

    In contrast with the monotonous weekdays that most Karachiites spend working and rushing from one destination to another, Bye Mishtake offered an opportunity for theatre enthusiasts in the city to sit back, relax and share some good laughs over the weekend with friends and family.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021