Olomopolo Media recently staged a play in Karachi, ‘Both Sit in Silence for a While’The play dares to question social disorders and traditional performing arts endeavours. Presented from August 26 to 28, 2022 at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in the Zia Mohyeddin Theatre, the play has been written and was directed and co-produced by Ali Junejo and Rasti Farooq, both of whom double as actors. Well-received by the audience, the play was graced with a full house with an extra matinee show on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
The stage opens to pin drop silence as we find a couple seated at the dimly lit island table, which also acts as a casual work station for both. The conflict opens to the argument as to who will care for their 10-year-old daughter as both of them have decided to part ways. As the verbal skirmish takes a fiercer tone and harsher attitude towards one another, we realize that Rasti is constantly grappling with the idea of motherhood, where she is constantly forced to step back in her personal and professional goals. On the other hand, Ali is struggling to keep sanity intact as he seeks medical help for depression. In the web of familial relationships, both realize that ‘happy together’ is a bubble and it is not conducive to the mental, physical and social development of their child, who deserves a happy, normal family. Both of them, stubborn in their perspectives, think that the other person is being wronged against in the relationship. As the story unfolds, it goes into a flashback which reveals that both were not willing to take up what life threw at them, emotionally or financially. The hour-long clash brings the agitated couple to a tough decision where they agree to put their daughter for adoption.
As clichéd as the story may sound, this is a simple tale with deep, complex human emotions that all of us go through, everyday. We have seen it happening with friends, between ourselves, and we have grown up seeing our parents through these arguments. Yet no one speaks about them. These are everyday musings, wry yet compassionate, relatable yet un-tellable, uncomfortable and painful. It is not to say that every relationship that doesn’t seem to work out must burn the bridges. There were instances where there was genuine care and love for each other as though both cherished the other’s company, like when Rasti burned her hand, Ali rushed to get ice for her; when both fix a lemonade together and bring food for the other, and when both type out a message calling for adoption – these were tiny moments that seem to have them bounded by bare threads. But in summation, they were weak in strength because most of the time it was unpleasant, which brought pain to both and they are done dealing with it alone, despite having each other by the side. Heated arguments, rash decisions, cold silences – Both Sit in Silence for a While was everything I could resonate with. Full of emotional energy, dark humour and a dash of romance, the play was an epic portrayal of everything that happens behind closed doors and the human experiences all of us have gone through, at some point in time.
Needless to say, Ali and Rasti did a commendable job of presenting the characters who easily could’ve been any of us in real life. The set allowed the actors to fit perfectly as they maneuvered through the argument. The script was well-written with short and crisp lines which truly captured the moments of how all of us are desperately struggling through life. Some days are good, most bad, but every day is an experience that makes or breaks us.
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