(National Times)The offbeat psycho-comedy stage play “Khawboon Ki Nautanki” split the audience’s sides with its convoluted humour as the ongoing World Culture Festival marked its 26th day at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi on Monday. Set in Karachi, the 60-minute play, written by Babar Jamal and directed by Uzma Sabeen, follows two intriguing characters: Asad and Shiren, a couple. This is an adaptation of the play “Suppressed Desire”. Having a deep interest in psychology, the duo has poles-apart positions on psychoanalysis — a set of techniques for exploring underlying motives and also a method of treating various mental disorders, based on the theories of Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. As the play unfolds, the audience is taken on a humorous and thought-provoking journey through the complexities of the human mind and relationships. Shiren, an avid believer in the psychological sciences, becomes obsessed with interpreting the suppressed desires of those around her, particularly focusing on Asad and her sister Huma, creating razor-sharp humour cleverly woven by the dramatist into the thick of the plot. As the misunderstandings escalate, Shiren’s psychoanalytic zeal creates comedic tension, driving Asad nuts, and giving rise to situations that are hard not to laugh at.The cast of the play, staged at the ACP’s Auditorium 1, featured talented actors including Zarqa Naz, Osama Ranjha, and Alina Gulzar. A day earlier, the audience was deeply moved by “Gurrya Ka Ghar” — a play centred on a social theme. The central character, Tehmina, was portrayed as a woman dedicated to social welfare work. The play also featured a character named Sakina, whose performance left a strong impression. The festival features more than 450 artists from 40 different countries and will continue till November 2 at the ACP Karachi.