A review on foreign-language musical & dance theatre play, Hotel Propaganda (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.
+ Crew
- Direction, Choreography, Scenography & Lighting by Brigel Gjoka
- Assistant Directed by Mattia Gandini
- Costumes Designed by Qazi Hasan Ali
- Makeup & Hair Styling by Sikander Khan
+ Note
Goethe-Institut Pakistan in collaboration with the National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA) brings German director and choreographer Brigel Gjoka to Pakistan. This would be Brigel Gjoka’s third time in Karachi. In 2014 for the first time, along with Mattia Gandini, he performed on the stage in his own production “Eksod” in the NAPA International Theatre Festival. In 2015 he came back, this time to make a production assisted by Mattia Gandini, with local artists from NAPA and directed “Among Fog” – a captivating performance, enthralling the audience.
Hotel Propaganda is about a house of all times that has never changed; the vibration that hits the wall looking for sunrise to make the souls dance. Questioned so much that becomes a form of un-applied tradition, love, dismisses itself and takes a leave of absence to the forgotten land that one carries daily. Then, here I sit and watch it mocking me inside my walls, while I prepare the little drops of empathy, hidden, ready to spit out as soon as the shelter becomes weak, to hide inside again.
This is Vajdaan Shah’s best performance till date.
+ Full Cast
- Vajdaan Shah as Mad Hotel Owner
- Sunil Shankar as Singer / Guest #1
- Joshinder Chaggar as Guest #2 (Blond Wig)
- Paras Masroor as Guitarist / Guest #3
- Sabiha Zia as Guest #4
- Masood Ur Rehman as Guest #5
- Taha Khan as Guest #6
- Ishtiaque Rasool / IR Omar as Guest #7
- Mahesh Kumar as Guest #8
- Erum Bashir as Nurse
- Shabana Hassan as Air Hostess
+ Plot
A place created by love, where time stands still and all comes to stay in huis-clos.
+ High Points
i – Vajdaan Shah as Mad Hotel Owner played the lead part such impressive manner! His entry in just underwear was with absolute confidence! He strongly reminded me of the main supporting character as the ‘Mad Hatter’ from Alice in the Wonderland. Vajdaan, I salute you on your performance and confidence level.
ii – Shabana Hassan as Air Hostess played the role in highly seductive manner. Side by side, Erum Ero as Nurse played her part to the core. Other Honorable Mentions: Rest of the cast.
iii – The first dance sequence that took place after Mad Hotel Owner where he makes his first appearance; certainly, knew that this play is going to take the audience for a one wild ride!
iv – I believe that the selection of the songs was good and helped the dance chores throughout the play.
v – Excellent job in costumes design / wardrobe management. Marvelous work!
vi – Makeup & hair styling did a fabulous work. It helped with the characters’ different looks and clothing.
vii – The real deal to make this play not only a success but a memorable one also was the reason of lighting during the different beats & moods of this musical / dance play. The different colored lights helped greatly in understanding a different scenario.
viii – It was very well choreographed by Brigel Gjoka. Every dance move was electrifying in its nature. Bravo!
ix – The scene where a dining table with long legs was used (literally) where the guests were forced to raise their hands in able to have their dinner, was a very clever move to interpret the scene.
x – The set design and its scenography was something very new and creative to the audience.
+ Low Points
i – I believe that the first half of the dance play was much more enjoyable and interesting.
ii – It is very unlikely that one would understand each and every scene if a person watches the play at least for the first time. The director left it too much for the audience to decide.
iii – As for our audience, their taste in plays is quite different than this one was performed. Half of the audience either did not understand or did not enjoyed the play as it should have been.
+ Overall
As visually delight as it is, Hotel Propaganda’s scenography & lighting helped tremendously in bringing out the excitement to watch and understand. Brigel Gjoka’s choreography with great songs selection echoes the fundamentals of the director’s work — for the best outcome.
Rate: 4.25 out of 5 stars
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