Events | Black Comedy
From the day we started work on the SY play, Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, for the annual KGS Drama Production, it seemed fated to be a disaster. The casting, scripting and production teams were all unfinalized and the entire outlook on the play's completion before the big night was really bleak. But once Mrs. Hashwani had finalized the cast, student director, backstage and lighting teams, the rehearsals could begin. But they didn't. The entire cast was unable to assemble at the same time, Haseeb and Aziz (lights) had difficulty coordinating the timings with one another and no other venue for rehearsals besides Mrs. Hashwani's house could be decided upon.
The first few rehearsals were extremely fruitless, with more food being eaten than lines remembered. The wastage of time drove Mrs. H to put her foot down, which she did, and from thereon play practices meant business and not Sind Club snack-time. Her threats were extremely effective, everyone learned their lines, the props were gathered and productive rehearsals began in school. The action sequences were often quite painful to rehearse, due to the nature of the play - Amer Ahmed almost decapitated Aamir Alavi and Huma Yusuf with a chair, Adnan almost broke his neck falling off a rocking chair, and there was a *slight* accident with a tray full of glasses (which broke in the process - sorry Kumail). All in all though, the practices were carried out in a high-spirited mood, with everyone ending up having a good time.
[Part of] The Cast with the make-up Crew
Nadya, Huma, Amer, Aarij, Omar A, Saima Arafin, Mariam K, Fiza and Saira B.
The play was about a young artist, Brindsley (Amer Ahmed), who who invites a millionaire to view a sculpture of his on the same night that his fiancé Carol (Mariam Mukaty) invites her father to meet Brindsley for the first time. To impress them, Brindsley "borrows" his neighbour's (Aamir Alavi) precious antiques and furniture. Unfortunately, the lights fuse and many unexpected visitors like Mrs. Furnival (Huma Yusuf), Schupanzigh (Aarij Hashimi) and Clea (Nadya Habib) arrive to wreck the evening for Brindsley and Carol.
The performance was universally appreciated, and Mrs. Muncherji was even quoted as saying that this was the best school play in years. There were only a couple of mishaps; one performance was delayed due to a power outtage (ironic, huh?) and another performance was almost abandoned half-way because during one of the scenes, Nadya slapped Amer a *bit* too hard (the audience was convinced that the acting was superb after this). Thanks to Amer's true thespian spirit he ignored the agonising pain and the show went on.
A Drunk Mrs. Furnival
Adnan Ozair, Huma Yusuf, Nadya Habib, Amer Ahmed.
Amongst other things, the success of Black Comedy can be attributed to Mrs. Hashwani's hard work and guidance. All the cast members gave outstanding performances and the backstage, lighting and make-up crews also did superb jobs in their respective departments.