The 15th day of the World Culture Festival erupted with laughter after “Taleem-e-Balighan 2.0” took the stage once again at the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP), Karachi, on Thursday.
A modern twist in Khawaja Moinuddin’s iconic 1956 satire, which critiques society through the lens of adult education, was rerun at the ACP, lighting up the audience with its tongue-in-cheek humour.
The play has been updated for contemporary audiences but still highlights how little has changed since its original debut, shedding light on persistent societal flaws.
The show left a charged audience in splits with its razor-sharp wit and irresistible comic energy. The comedic brilliance, which remained true to the original, resonated with today’s viewers.
The 60-minute-long play, directed by Farhan Alam Siddiqui, combines humour and reflection to offer a timeless commentary on the absurdities of social and educational systems.
Several plays by Moinuddin, a renowned playwright of his era, continue to be popular and are frequently staged. Born on March 23, 1924, in Topran, a city in the Deccan state of pre-Partition India, the playwright developed a deep interest in the dramatic arts early on. During his student years, he wrote and produced numerous plays.
A day earlier, Annie Baker’s legendary dramedy “Circle Mirror Transformation” plunged the house into hysterics. The English Language play, directed by Bonnie Jean Evans, is a touching exploration of vulnerability and human connection.