DAWN - Review for Dinner with an Idiot

ISLAMABAD, March 28: Dinner With An Idiot is probably the most exciting play to hit the stage in the last several months. It’s the most exciting, fiercely funny and above all is in Urdu language. The opening of the turbo-charged comedy on Friday night at the National Library was one single act spanning over a blissful hour-and-ahalf that threw the theatre experience instantaneously into high gear. Dinner With An Idiot is a modern Urdu comedy adapted to suit today’s audiences. Loosely adapted from the French comedy “Le Diner de Cons” also known as the Dinner Game, new characters and even more twists to the plot have been added to make it a truly memorable experience. Faheem Azam, director of the play, gives it irresistible zing of domestic comedy. “This comedy will make you cry… with tears of irrepressible laughter and joy,” the 24-year-old director had promised a day earlier, and it was so. The language and dialogue delivered by the characters moved the plot and the action. “We cheered for this talented lot from our neighbourhood because their needs are our needs, their dreams are our dreams and their songs are our songs,” said an audience. Yet another said, “It’s the classic stuff of comedy.” The cast almost without exception is so good you want to celebrate the ensemble rather than individual performance. As some put it, the stage lost its wit every time the crazy doctor, played by Farhatullah Babar, left the stage. Babar was simply an asset to the play as his presence elevated the drama from humorous to wildly hilarious. Mahwish Kanwal, who has already performed in “It runs in the family” and “Come again”, plays the role of Kiran the girlfriend, and is the new audition material for aspiring actresses. Commanding the stage at the same time is Urwatul Wusqau.This slinky babe’s role as Saba or Mrs Hasan seemed tailor made, simple and passionate. Mohsin Ejaz plays the most demanding role of a young man obsessed with becoming a star with a funny face. This amusing performer touched the audiences’ hearts and their funny bones. Supporting him in his fine cast was Shafqat Khan with the same nervous energy and hyena-like laughter. With considerable stage experience, Shafqat was cleverly audacious, always about to explode. Without Shafqat, the team would not have been able to deliver the best comedy theatre. There was another crazy character. Managing his relations with his wife, Dawar Mehmood fills the stage with his presence as the famous music producer Mr Hasan and Raja Yasser Naveed as Yazzi cast away any inhibition like emotional pebbles with his ninja positions and showing all what a real Urdu drama is. Two dance numbers perfectly sized for the National Library stage threw in a few extra characters including the director and gave the show and the audience a lift that extended beyond the theatre. The standing ovation, cheers, hooting and endless applause spoke for itself about the wildly different play that took the crowd by storm. In this daunting economic climate, the crew performed in collaboration with Channel 7 and without a singly sponsor. Hopefully, theatre goers would play their part and pay for good theatre experience.