2023-2024 Production:

For its inaugural production the team staged an adaptation of A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, based on the life of the English renaissance statesman Thomas More. The play revolves around the dilemma that the protagonist faces as he is presented with a choice between his duty to the state and his own religious principles when he refuses to pressure the Pope into annulling the marriage of King Henry VIII.

Witty and thought-provoking the play provides critical insights into moral-legal dilemmas. As a timeless classic as relevant in the world today as its historical timeline or when it was written the team found it befitting as a debut choice in a law school.

In the last quarter of 2023, CLLB embarked on its first theatrical journey. Designed as an after-school activity, it was open to students across universities in Peshawar.

Along fun, creative and exciting are the evident expectations from a theatre activity but ‘challenging’, ‘rattling’ and ‘transforming’ are some of the words the students used to describe their experiences. From working on their stage presence, memorising hundreds of words, to navigating conflict and communication in teamwork, the cast and crew did an excellent job of pulling through.

Students engaged deeply with a text dealing with moral-legal themes, embodying the emotional depths of their own as well as other characters and understanding the importance of good storytelling.

Not only did they witness what it takes to build something from scratch, they learnt the material and non-material challenges of theatre and the arts. The team created a machinery that kept the boat afloat, from everyday logistics like tea and snacks to fundraising money through a partnership program. In the face of circumstantial delays and postponements, it was their months of hard work and effort that drove them to persist and not give up.

Creativity and innovation fuel human progress but cannot be taught by theory alone. Student Theatre is an excellent opportunity for hands-on learning, transferable-skills development and cross institutional collaboration. CLLB beckons an exciting extra-curricular future for the students of Peshawar.