Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Fri 4 Nov
Every year throughout the festival of Basant, hundreds of kites fly above Lahore, the dynamic capital of the historic Punjab region. In this spring festival, the rich and the poor come together for a time of parties, feasting and kite flying.
Yet, there’s more to kite flying than simply sending these decorative objects up to the highest height. There’s a spirit of gaming, of competition and of rivalry as, for every kite that reaches up to the sky, there are hundreds of people who want to bring it down.
Swept up in the energy of the kite fights, men and boys head to rooftops across the city. Using their talent in control and precision, they attempt to bring down their competitors’ kites so that theirs can be the last one left in the air.
The competitive spirit here has escalated, leading to the festival’s darker side as more people get hurt by kite lines illegally reinforced by razors and finely cut glass. As more people get injured, the authorities become more pressing with their condemnation of the sport, and a ban seems imminent. So, like the kites that form a key part of its image, this festival is a show of colour and flamboyance with an abrasive edge.
In his collection written especially for Ludlow-based Fetch Theatre, poet Mazhar Tirmazi has captured this spirit of threatened, or even threatening, celebration. In the company’s piece, Basant Lahore!, the poems are explored using Bunraku puppets, which relies on the expressions and rhythms of the puppeteer to breathe life into the models. Banraku puppetry is a true artform, governed by a fascinating set of rules surrounding eye contact and breathing which, although seemingly simple, are essential in making the performance more realistic and absorbing.
Locals see Basant as a chance to re-sculpt Pakistan’s reputation and to show the Punjab region in a positive, cultural light internationally. In Basant Lahore! Fetch Theatre showcase the international vision they have become known for and will continue the festival organisers’ aims to represent a dynamic tradition. Tickets: £8/£6. Info: 029 2031 1050 / www.chapter.org AMELIA FORSBROOK
