Largest ever National Theatre Festival in full swing at PNCA

ISLAMABAD, Nov 16 (APP):The largest ever National Theatre Festival in full swing here at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) arranged in connection with the 70th independence anniversary of Pakistan.
The objective of the festival is to foster healthy theatrical activities by providing a national platform to the leading theatre groups in the country.
Theatre groups from all over the country are participating in the said festival and avail a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talent at National level and share their ideas with like-minded theatre enthusiasts.
Director General PNCA Syed Jamal Shah said that a total 45 stage plays would be performed and entertain the people of federal capital with their artistic talents.
He said that Theatre has been an integral part of the rich cultural tradition of the subcontinent which has been synonymous with the region’s folk tradition characterized by music and dance.
Urdu theatre grew out of the successful enactment of a play entitled Indrasabha (the Heavenly Court of Indra) written by Agha Hasan Amanat Ali in 1885.
The arrival of commercial theatre in Lahore was in the early 1980s. The joint efforts of Naheed Khanum, Amanullah, Mastana and Baboo Baral ushered in the art the lively dialogues and innovative style was like a breath of fresh air for the citizens. Unfortunately, commercial theatre is now in decline even though the number of theatergoers is steadily increasing.
The festival would continue till November 30 at PNCA auditorium.