joined
hands for the cause of communicating to the masses and establishing democratic
norms in the country. The group remained very active in the dark period
of martial law and performed many plays that aimed at spreading political
awareness among the masses.
One of its recent performance was a multimedia supported monologue, 'Montage', that was staged at Aiwan-e-Jamhoor with the collaboration of Journalists Resource Centre on February 28, 1999. This play was in continuation of the photograph and documentary three-day exhibition of an Indian activist group, Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT). The play was also previously selected for the International Theatre Festival held in Cairo (Egypt) last year.
The play was of 70-minutes' duration. Its theme revolved around soliloquy of an educated unemployed individual who is perturbed over the circumstances facing him. He questions the contradictions that he observes in the society and mourns as he experiences social degeneration. He also challenges some of the modern concepts of development which aim at making people more dependent on others rather than empowering the masses.
Shahid Lone, the sole performer, kept audience enchanted throughout the play. His articulation and presentation was commendable. The multimedia support was aptly used to substantiate the arguments and the questions raised by the writer. The author conceptualised the character as a sensitive being who is much reactive to the social injustice and exploitation prevailing in the society. He feels himself to be on the crossroads where he had to decide whether he wants to be killed by the history or by the people living around him, and he opts for the latter.
