LAHORE: The Lahore Arts Council has decided to dedicate Hall No 2 at the Alhamra Art Center, The Mall, to parallel theatre.

With this pivotal development, Azad Theatre, a three-year old initiative working on serious productions, has announced a threeday theatre festival at Alhamra in the second last week of September.

Azad Theatre Creative DirectorMalik Aslam told Dawn that it was a welcome move to give space to parallel theatre.

Earlier, halls 1 and 2 were being used for purely commercial theatre.

He said high cost and soaring rents of theatre halls had marginalised parallel and young theatre groups and it was an opportunity for many such ventures to revive themselves.

He said the upcoming festival was aimed at promoting a serious and meaningful theatre. `We shall stage our three plays during the fes-tival probably from Sept 20 to 22, he said.

Officials say a proposal to permanently dedicate Hall No 2 to parallel theatre has been okayed and modalities are being worked out. The proposal was floated by LAC Executive Director Atta Muhammad.

Ajoka Theatre`s Madeeha Gauhar lauded the move and said her group had long been striving to educate people through meaningful and objective theatre.

She said it would be great ifHall No 2 would be dedicated to parallel theatre and it would attract huge crowds.

Producer Samina Ahmad, former deputy director programmes at the LAC, said there were many young theatre groups who would like to stage their plays based on social issues. Many such groups had proved their mettle in the World Performing Arts Festival.

The parallel theatre, she said, must be afforded an opportunity to promote the concept of family entertainment.