The play Lawrence in Lahore was recently staged at the Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore. It was an Ajoka production based on the historical figure T.E. Lawrence.
The play was a delight to watch. With excellent music and dance, there was not a single moment of boredom that the audience might have faced. Lawrence of Arabia, a British spy, created a dispute amongst countries. He appeared in many disguises. He helped lead the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War 1.
He frequented the famous Nedou’s hotel, owned by a Kashmiri woman, Akbar Jahan. He secretly married her and was forced to divorce her by the wrestling champion Gama Pehlwan. Lawrence was ordered to leave the country by the British government because of spreading mischief in Afghanistan at the behest of the British government. However, the fiery religious leader Sir Karam Shah, whose religious sermons fuelled the Pashtuns against King Amanullah, disappeared mysteriously; he was in fact Lawrence.
Akbar Jahan was distressed by Lawrence’s sudden disappearances. As the play neared the end, she questioned who Lawrence was. What was his identity? She inquired: “Am I married to a sympathiser or a spy?”
Through Lawrence’s figure, the play connected South Asian history with that of the Middle East. The seeds of fundamentalism, the bloody massacre of Partition, and divisive nationalism were sown. To this day, the region is suffering from the threat of terrorism and war between nations. The founder of Ajoka, Shahid Nadeem, wrote the play in collaboration with US-based scholar Dr. Fawzia Afzal Khan.
The play was staged on Ajoka’s 41st birthday. Ajoka is setting a new trend in theatre by mixing history with myths, fact with fiction, romance with rebellion. It is essential to recognise that Ajoka constantly recruits young talent, paving the way for progress and evolution.
Although the cast delivered well, Akbar Jahan (Erum Navee) stole the limelight. Her demeanour was mesmerising, and her gestures, facial expressions, and dance touched the spectators’ hearts. Lawrence’s remark ‘Kashmiri women are beautiful’ is followed by Akbar Jahan’s witty dialogue: “She knows how to fight like a tiger.”
As shown in the play, Akbar Jahan epitomized courage and wit and responded with a burning fire to Lawrence’s flirtatious behaviour. Akbar Jahan was no dumb blonde and knew how and when to act or make a decision.
The play was a mix of entertainment, visual delight, dance, and music. Embedded within the fun and pleasure was also the Kashmir freedom struggle. The play ends with the query: “Kia haqeeqi azaadi mehaz aik khawab hai?”
The play ended at this point and didn’t answer the question; rather, it left it open-ended, allowing the audience to form their own perspective and opinion.
In conclusion, the play was worth watching. What is unique about Ajoka is that it was not a ticketed event and was open to people from all walks of life. Although the play ‘Monkey Business’ was being staged at the same time as Lawrence in Lahore, the scribe still chose to watch the former. It was a play pregnant with meaning.
The play was staged in New York, Abu Dhabi, and New Jersey earlier. ‘Lawrence in Lahore’ deserves appreciation, and to understand the play fully, it is imperative to read the book Lawrence of Arabia.
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