"LAPPAR"
(The Slap)

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March - 1992 (Lahore)


Written by: Shahid Nadeem
Directed by: Madeeha Gauhar

Lappar is about the stigma attached to the birth of a daughter. Lappar focuses on the issue of girl child and exposes the stereotypical notions of gender bas in society. Girl from their early childhood are considered as a liability. The entire play is set in a hospital scene. The main characters are three expectant women. The reaction of the families especially of the in laws and husbands of these expectant women reveal the harsh treatment that women are subjected to when they give birth to baby girls. This attitude is not only prevalent in the illiterate communities of our society but the so called elite and educated classes behave in a similar manner. Birth of a girl is usually mourned and mother has to face serious consequences, sometimes to the extent of being divorced by their husbands.

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Review:Yet the experience was drastically different from what we had anticipated. Our play was about women giving birth to female babies and facing society’s condemnation. It had many dialogues defamatory to the, male ego, yet our male audience was attentive to the moral reproof. The children sat dumb founded, enjoying only the lighthearted dance and songs. It was the women response that rejuvenated our spirits. Through the performance they nodded in tacit approval, clapping gleefully on every sentence that reproached men and society for their ill-treatment of women. After the performance, one could see that the play had made an impression, as the men walked away with sheepish grins and the women strutted around like the heroines of the day. (THE FRONTIER POST, September, 1992)