For someone who enjoys theatre, the poster of The Colony’s latest show, Laila Majnu was enticing enough to purchase tickets instantly. An age-old tale turned into a musical, a blend of great storytelling and dance performances at the grand Haveli Barood Khana in old Lahore — I knew it was going to be good, but little did I know what a stellar performance I was in for.
The live performance did absolute justice to the classic tale, engrossing the audience till the last second, giving them an experience to remember. From the brilliant narration by Hashim Ali to the stellar direction, choreography and acting by Saad Sheikh, one of the two founders of The Colony, everything about the performance was par excellence. The lead actors — Saad as Majnu and Wajiha Wasti as Laila — were compelling and masters of their craft. Their dance, acting, emotions and chemistry quite literally set the stage on fire. For a few seconds, one could easily forget that it’s a show and not a real story unfolding in front of one’s eyes! That’s how convincing both of them were.