THRISSUR: Getting the idea and story of a performance across to the audience requires much effort, and of course, immense talent. More so in the case of a mono act. However, for C Afiya Fathima, a student of Vallappuzha HSS in Palakkad, who bagged the first place in the Arabic Mono Act, giving life to the various characters in her act comes naturally.
“My father taught me everything. He is the one who wrote the script and the dialogues, directed the mono act, and helped me with the overall presentation,” said Afiya, bubbling with energy, of C Muhammad Shareef who is an Arabic teacher at the same school.
She said the story that she enacted was based on the trials and tribulations of the people of Palestine and the humanitarian contributions made by several people. Through powerful expressions, Afiya portrayed multiple characters -- a blind girl searching for her mother on a battlefield, an elderly woman who had lost her daughter, a cruel soldier, a journalist who reminds the world of harsh realities, and Rashmi, a Malayali woman who arrived to offer consolation.
Her performance conveyed to the audience the painful and haunting visuals of the silent cries of war-torn lands, usually seen only through news reports.
“This is my first attempt in the Arabic Mono Act,” the Class 8 student said. Earlier, Afiya had been selected as the best actress in the high school drama competition at the district school arts festival.