Global Theatre Foundation

Global Theatre Initiative

What began as a reciprocal gesture in 2006 with Pakistan’s Peerzada Theatre has now taken shape of an active exchange between Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation and professional theatre companies in other countries. Some of the Foundation’s ventures in its Global Theatre Initiative include:

France

French actress Anne Bressanges’ ‘Lecon D’Anatomie’ was staged at Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2008.

Mohammad Ali Baig was invited to France by their Government in 2010 to share his theatre revival model and Heritage Theatre with French theatre companies. His trip included exchange sessions with leading European theatre stalwarts and companies of Ariane Mnouchkine, Peter Brook, Philip Genty, Patrice Chereau, Footsbarn Theatre.

2011 saw Footsbarn Travelling Theatre’s Paddy and Frederika Hayter conducting workshops with Mohammad Ali Baig on Space and Body Movements, use of Masks, and acting techniques of Jacques Lecox, considered the finest theatre guru of world theatre.

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation co-produced ‘Forty Winks’ with France-based Footsbarn Theatre that opened in Hyderabad in August 2011, conceptualised and designed by Mohammad Ali Baig and performed by Paddy Hayter along with Mohammad Ali Baig.

Dominique Boivin of Beau Geste staged ‘Transports Exceptionnels’ at Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2011, later followed by a workshop on contemporary choreography and a screening of ‘Cinegeste’.

Footsbarn Theatre’s internationally-acclaimed play ‘Indian Tempest’ was brought to Hyderabad in February 2013 followed by workshops on Shadow Play and Voice.

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation’s ‘Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada’ was invited to Herisson en Fete in France in July 2013 where it was staged.

North America

‘Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada’ has since travelled to North America (Canada and USA) along with its sequel ‘Savaan-e-Hayat’ in 2014. ‘Quli..’ was termed “phenomenal and mesmerizing” by the US press.

‘Spaces’ and ‘Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada’ were staged at ‘Glory of Hyderabad’ festival in Chicago in 2016.

Turkey

Mohammad Ali Baig was invited to present ‘The Baig Retrospective’ at the prestigious Kagithane Sadabad Sahnesi Theatre in Istanbul in 2015 where his heritage plays were staged to standing ovations. Mohammad Ali Baig delivered a lec-dem about his experiences in advertising and theatre at Istanbul Sehir University.

‘The Baig Retrospective’ was staged at London’s Nehru Centre in 2015 and ‘1857: Turrebaz Khan’ in 2016.

‘Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada’ had a weeklong run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2016, being termed "visual poetry...an enchanting evening of international theatre”. Following this, ‘1857: Turrebaz Khan’ had a World Premiere at the same Festival.

Pakistan

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation’s ‘Raat Phoolon Ki’ conceptualised, directed by and featuring Mohammad Ali Baig was staged in Lahore in 2008.
Pakistani Peerzada Theatre’s ‘Nawab Sahib Qibla’ staged in Hyderabad the same year.
Hyderabad was audience to Lahore-based Ajoka Theatre’s Madeeha Gauhar and her play ‘Dara’ during Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2011.

Germany

Hamburg’s renowned contemporary dancer and choreographer Victoria Hauke brought her production ‘() Else’ with Olaf Reinecke to Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2009 and ’13 Fluid Acts of Deviation’ with Philipp van der Heijden to Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2015, where they also conducted a workshop.

Ireland

Sword-swallower and entertainer Murray Molloy brought ‘The Kid’s Got Charisma!’ to Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2014 and ‘Crazy’ to Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2016.

Africa

The Theatre Company of Kenya, Africa Production brought their Swahili production of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’, directed by Daniel Goldman to Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2012. The same edition of the Festival saw ‘Marital Blitz’ by LiFT Entertainment and AshTal Art from South Africa.