Mr. Khan’s Review on Commedia D’ell Arte (2017)

A review on a Foreign Comedy Drama theatre play, Commedia D’ell Arti (2017). It was performed at NAPA’s International Theatre Festival 2017.

+ Crew

• Directed by Marco Luly

+ Note
Commedia D’ell Arti is a form of theatre that originated in Italy in the 16th century and quickly spread all across Europe. It plays a crucial role in the development of Western Theatre.

+ Full Cast

1. Marco Luly as Host #1
2. Vajdaan Shah as Jester
3. Kashif Hussain as Wine Seller
4. Haris Khan as Zamin / Servant
5. Aqeel Ahmed as Beggar / Missing Husband
6. Shajahan Narejo as Critic
7. Shumaila Taj as Host #2
8. Irma Ali as Girl Friend
9. Bani Mirza as Mistress / Lady from the Audience
10. Hamza Sheikh as Spectator
11. Asma Noor as Fortune Teller
12. Nauman Qazi as Announcer
13. Muneeb Ur Rehman as Entertainer
14. Sadaf Hirani as Wife
15. Zeerak Khan Niazi as Lover Boy

+ Plot
It is a play of many short stories, related to every character, who at first performs like a spectator and listening to the ‘Host #1’ speech.

+ High Points
i – Aqeel Ahmed is a wonderful performer and always leaves his mark of the fantastic performances in his plays.

ii – Bani Mirza performed very gracefully, with strong self-belief and glamour. Though it was funny to see how the majority of the audience was taking it literally that the ‘Host’ wanted someone from them to perform. Some of the people were either shouting their or other people names as a better option than that girl in the front.

It was clear that Bani was planted but many didn’t realize that. And talking about of the girl, she seemed very nervous and seemed almost real that she is just a random girl who is forced to perform.

But the next thing you know is that she is performing with such confidence level where she knows exactly what to say without any nervousness. It is (almost) certain that the director’s intend was to show the girl as though she is part of the audience till she agrees to step on-stage. And once she is on the stage, then it does not matter if the audience does realizes by now that it was a part of the performance this whole time.

+ Low Points
i – Honestly, I am not a fan of such plays although the audience was enjoying it a lot. For people like me, we need to make up our minds before watching these kinds of plays in able to enjoy and digest them easily.

ii – Some of the stories were okay while some were just there to fill the gap.

+ Overall
Pleasant when it works, Commedia D’ell Arti is based mainly in the interplay between the characters and the audiences while the director’s brash speech is a kind of warm Italian comedy.

Rate: 3.0 out of 5 stars