Theatre Wallay, with support from Total PARCO, Alliance Francaise D’ Islamabad, and the Embassy of France, performed Moliere’s The School for Wives (L’école des femmes) in Islamabad. It was performed for a select audience in the Diplomatic Enclave on July 14, 2019, and for the general public at the Farm @ Bani Gala on 17th and 18th July. Later, it was performed at Rafi Peer Theater in Lahore on October 26, 2019, and at Alliance Francaise in Karachi on November 9, 2019.
Audiences thoroughly enjoyed it and were a bit surprised to find out how relevant this play was to Pakistan’s current social conditions. The School for Wives is a theatrical comedy written by the seventeenth century French playwright Molière and considered by some critics to be one of his finest achievements. It was first staged at the Palais Royal theatre on 26 December 1662 for the brother of the King. The play depicts a character who is so intimidated by femininity that he resolves to marry his young, naïve ward and proceeds to make clumsy advances to this purpose (Wikipedia).
Fizza Hasan, the director of the play, says, “It is incredible how the play, written in the 1660s, can still speak to audiences today, because the world has not changed very much since then”. Imran Iftikhar, the co-director who made his directorial debut with this play, believes “The characters, situations and themes are extremely relatable, and would be familiar to most people in the audience”.
A heartfelt round of applause for the brilliant cast of The School for Wives, whose stellar performances brought Molière’s classic to life with wit, energy, and emotional depth. Each actor stepped into their role with confidence and nuance, capturing the essence of this timeless satire on love, control, and human folly.
Fizza Hasan set the tone beautifully as the sharp and lively Georgette, while Ammar Khalid’s charming portrayal of Horace infused the stage with youthful passion. Imran Iftikhar gave a strong and grounded performance as Chrysalde, delivering wisdom with subtle humor.
A special appreciation must be given to Umer Farooq Bhatti, whose portrayal of Arnolphe (a.k.a. M. de La Souche) was both commanding and layered. With impeccable timing and emotional range, Umer navigated Arnolphe’s contradictions—his misguided control, insecurity, and eventual unraveling—with remarkable skill. His performance anchored the play and brought out its central conflict with both gravitas and levity.
Ahad Ali Siddiqui and Zainab Hasan added vibrant energy as Alain and Agnes respectively—Zainab in particular captured Agnes’s innocence and awakening with striking sincerity. Adil Yousaf as the Notary, Usama Ahmad Khan as Enrique, and Safeer Ullah Khan as Oronte each made their mark with memorable appearances that rounded out the narrative beautifully.
The Credits:
Actors (In order of appearance):
- 1. Fizza Hasan as Georgette
- 2. Ammar Khalid as Horace
- 3. Imran Iftikhar as Chrysalde
- 4. Umer Farooq as Arnolphe alias M. de La Souche
- 5. Ahad Ali Siddiqui as Alain
- 6. Zainab Hasan as Agnes
- 7. Adil Yousaf as Notary
- 8. Usama Ahmad Khan as Enrique
- 9. Safeer Ullah Khan as Oronte
Sounts and lights – Mustafa Hasan, and Aamir Ali
Art Work – Hassan Pasha
Costumes – Fizza Hasan
Stage Manager – Sara Pasha
Set Design – Fizza Hasan, Iqbal Gasper
Directed by:
- Fizza Hasan
- Imran Iftikhar