By Sangeeta Kumar

The Leopard and the Fox

Seeing Rajiv Joseph’s recently concluded play, The Leopard and the Fox, the night before Benazir’s return to Karachi, after her self-imposed exile, proved to be fortuitous. Though the play was not about Benazir it resonated with current events as they unfolded in Pakistan.

The production by Alter Ego, directed by Giovonna Sardelli, was based on the teleplay produced for the BBC by Tariq Ali. The main plot revolved around the events that led to the overthrowing, and subsequent hanging, of Benazir’s father, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by his Chief of Staff General Zia-ul-Haq and a complicit CIA. The other premise centered on the relationship between the charming and elitist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his seemingly loyal aide of 20 years General Zia.

The original play was never broadcast due to pressures from the British Foreign Office. General Zia-ul-Haq was in power at the time and was seen as a crucial ally in the American efforts to sustain the Mujaheddin during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

The brisk pace made this production thrilling. Ed Asmaan as the CIA agent turned in the most powerful performance of the evening with his playful exploitation of the Washington Post journalist, Dave Cherry (Michael Crane). Benazir Bhutto (Gita Reddy) was witty and sharp but failed to capture the disquiet of someone caught in the apparent eye of the storm. While the two main characters, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Ramiz Monsef) and General Zia-ul-Haq (Andrew Guilarte) were occasionally brilliant their relationship, given its implications, was portrayed unconvincingly. Bhutto appeared almost naïve and Zia, a self-doubting gangster rather than the leader of one of the most powerful institutions in the country.

Alter Ego deserves kudos for the tight production quality. The music (Mithun Sinha), lighting (Nick Francone) and artful set design (David Newell) created the required mood.

Finally, it was reaffirming to see serious South Asian theater extending beyond the realm of identity politics.