Empowering trans-women in Pakistan

03 Days Theatre Training:

On October 30^th, 2019, VISION conducted a three days theatre workshop in which the 10 trans-women from the theatre team of VISION along with Multan staff were brought to Islamabad. The purpose of this workshop was to develop a theatre play for the transgender community which brings unity between the transgender community and reduces the gaps that have been highlighted in the research that VISION had conducted.

On day first of this workshop, the entire focus was on developing a story for theatre. The first story that community theatre participants had developed was very much victim narrative in which chelas are supposed to as victims and guru were shown as a greedy person.

VISION was keener to develop a story that shows the old-age relationship of guru chela where there is a lot of respect of a guru and guru treats their chelas as their children.  This idea was shared with the theatre participants and they agreed with the suggestion of VISION that instead of showing negative parts of the community, we should reflect the positivity of this relationship. The participants had decided that through this performance they will highlight the advantages and effectiveness of this relationship and will show the necessity of this relationship so that the gaps between the relationship of guru and chela get minimize.

One the second day of this workshop, theatre participant started rehearsal on the story that they have developed on day one. As this group was already trained by VISION in one of its previous projects, therefore, VISION had not to puts its energy on dialogue delivery, voice range, expression, etc. The areas that VISION has to work upon is to trained the participants in stage positioning and movement on stage because this group previously had performed a street theatre in which angle and movement are not important whereas in this theatre these things are important as they have to keep in mind that the audience is only sitting in front of them and their faces should be visible to the audience so that audience can clearly see their expression and hear their voices while performing this theatre.

On the third day of this workshop, theatre participants had finalized their theatre play and do a mock rehearsal in front of the management staff of VISION. After this rehearsal, the theatre team went back to Multan for purposes of performing theatre at the living spaces of the female transgender community of Multan.

02 Theatre Performances in Multan:

On November 9^th, 2019, the theatre team of VISION conducted two theatre performances at deras on different locations. The first performance was conducted in the afternoon in which 25 trans-women viewed this theatre. 

The second performance was conducted in the evening in which 35 trans-women viewed the theatre.

After watching the theatre, the following is the feedback by the audience:

1. I liked the way you have shown how guru and chela should live, they should cooperate with each other. I liked the theatre very much.
2. I liked it very much. This theatre reminded me my parents. I want that guru should treat their chelas like their children and chela treat their guru as a parent and this relationship should be very strong
3. I have learned that guru should respect chelas and chelas should respect their gurus

Links:

• Theatre Performance by Trans-women in Multan, Pakistan

• Pictures_for_Global_Giving_report.docx (DOCX)