[PAST/ ARCHIVE] Tryst With Destiny - written by Akkas Al-Ali (based on Manto)

Saadat Hasan Manto

Born in 1912, Manto was a leading Urdu short-story writer,
journalist, critic and film writer. He worked for All India Radio
during World War II and was a successful screen-writer in
Bombay before moving to Pakistan following the 1947 partition
of India. During his controversial two-decade career, Manto was
tried for obscenity six times. He published twenty-two
collections of short stories, seven collections of radio plays,
three collections of essays, two collections of personal sketches
and a novel. He is best known for his short stories. Toba Tek
Singh, which inspired the writing of Tryst (With Destiny), is
regarded as his magnum opus. Originally published in 1955, the
story is a powerful indictment of Indian-Pakistani relations, telling
of a fictional exchange of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh lunatics. (Toba
Tek Singh is a real town, now in the Panjab region of Pakistan.)
Manto died in 1955.

Akkas Al-Ali (writer)
Akkas is a Bangladeshi playwright living in London where he
grew up. He started writing short stories and plays whilst
reading Arabic and History at the School of Oriental and African
Studies. In 2002, he joined the Eastside Young Writers and
Performers group and won a Millennium Award to write his first
play, Sima’s Story, which was showcased at the Royal Court
Theatre in 2003. After completing the Royal Court’s Young
Writers Programme, he was invited to join the Critical Mass
project for which he wrote his second play, Beirut: 1982 (2004).
His third play, Babel Junction, written collaboratively, was
produced at the Hackney Empire in 2006 to critical acclaim. In
2008, he was invited to showcase his short play, Hanging
Ayaz, as part of the Found In Translation festival at Soho
Theatre. He has also written for Chroma and Sable. He is part of
Other Asias, a transnational collective of artists, writers and
performers.

Erica Miller (director)
After reading Theology at Oxford, Erica went on to study Fine &
Decorative Arts, and Acting. After polishing her directing skills at
Stonecrabs Theatre, she believes she has arrived at the perfect
artistic mix in directing theatre. She has a deep interest in New
Writing and enjoys the creative challenges theatre presents. She
has directed: LUV (Play for a Day), Wrapped Up (Missfit
Mondays), Looking in the Wrong Places (The Albany), Echoes
(The Albany), Opposites Attract (Network Theatre) and Ears &
Hearts (Hen & Chickens Theatre). As an assistant director, she
has worked on: Remember Me (Actors Themselves), The Wrong
Sleep (Cock Tavern Theatre), Matter of Intent (Bridewell Theatre),
After Doroteia (Oval House Theatre) and Know Your Limits
(Stonecrabs Theatre Co). Her next production is assisting Iqbal
Khan on Time for the Good Looking Boy (Boxclever Theatre).
 

Sonia Kaur
Sonia trained at the Birmingham School of Acting. Her
theatre credits include: King Lear (Tour), Product
Medea (Roundhouse Theatre), One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest (Highbury Theatre), 1984 (Highbury
Theatre), Lunch (Crescent Theatre), The Father
(Birmingham School of Acting), Speaking in Tongues
(Birmingham Library Theatre), The Witch (Birmingham
School of Acting), Parables Stories with a Twist (Tour).
Her film credits include: Land, Gold, Women (Richer
Lens), Chances (Project Rose), Khurram (Brook
Lapping), Inside Out (BBC) and Heart and Soul (Two
Four Productions). She has also worked with the
Birmingham Rep Theatre Co and Tara Arts. She is
currently acting in Eight (Tristan Bates Theatre).

Marlon Day

Marlon trained at the Birmingham School of Acting. His
theatre credits include: Blood Wedding (Southwark
Playhouse), Big Stuff (Arts Depot), Spark (M6/Tour),
Live & Direct (Contact Theatre), Cooling Off (Tour),
Tempting Cannibal (Contact Theatre), A Taste of Honey
(Ted Hughes Centre), In My Father’s House (BAA),
Lyrikal Flavas (Contact Theatre). His television credits
include: Ideal (Baby Cow Productions/BBC), Breaking
the Business (311 Films), The Chase (Rollem
Productions). His film credits include: The Fallen
(Channel 4), Dead Money (Deafeatures), Private Life
(Mad Cat Films), Different Perspectives (Hercules
Productions), Drifters (Anasazi Films), Two Wheels &
the Baby (String Rite Productions), Life (Bubble Media).
For radio, he has acted in Iron Mike (BBC).