Following a highly acclaimed, four-night houseful run in January, Qissa Khwani Theatrics brings Beckett’s landmark tragicomedy back to PNCA with the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Pakistan

Islamabad, Pakistan – September 14th , 2026 –Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, widely regarded as one of the defining works of twentieth century theatre, returns to Islamabad this October in its acclaimed Urdu production by Qissa Khwani Theatrics, with the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Pakistan.

The production, titled Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, will be staged from 1 to 4 October 2026 at 7:00 PM at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Islamabad.

The return follows a highly acclaimed January 2026 run, when the production played to four consecutive houseful performances from 1 to 4 January at PNCA. The October staging brings the same production back to the theatre, giving audiences another opportunity to encounter Beckett’s landmark work in Urdu.

Written by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett and first performed in 1953, Waiting for Godot transformed modern theatre with its radical simplicity, dark humour and unsettling questions about existence. Two men wait by a roadside for a person named Godot who never arrives. As they wait, they talk, quarrel, remember, forget, contemplate leaving and continue to wait.

What appears to be a simple story becomes a profound meditation on hope, friendship, time, uncertainty, existence and the human need to create meaning.

The Urdu translation allows Beckett’s work to enter a different linguistic and cultural space without diminishing its ambiguity or its humour. The play’s silences, repetitions, pauses and comic exchanges remain central to the production, allowing its questions about the human condition to resonate with audiences in a language deeply rooted in the cultural and literary life of Pakistan.

The translation and production are led by Ahmad Umar Ayaz, an acclaimed Urdu short story writer, playwright and screenwriter whose work spans literature, theatre and film. Ayaz has written for stage and screen and has received recognition for his screenwriting, while his literary work includes the published short biography Sadiq Dost and the short story project Andr Shehr. His feature film writing includes Jujji, which was released internationally on Amazon Prime.

Speaking about translating Beckett into Urdu, Ayaz said:

“I believe Waiting for Godot has a remarkable ability to translate itself. Beckett wanted to strip language down and free the play from the limitations of language, and that is perhaps why the work can move so naturally from one language to another. The translator is not simply transferring words. The play itself seems to demand a new language. That is a testament to the power of the work and to the extraordinary craft of Beckett.”

Speaking about his experience of directing the play, Hammad Zulfiqar said:

“When I first read Waiting for Godot, I thought it might be too tragic for our audiences. However, as rehearsals progressed and I began to understand the play more deeply, I discovered that it contains solid comedy. Its humour is catchy, engaging and accessible to the audience, rather than making it a boring or distant theatrical experience.”

At the centre of the production is one of Beckett’s most enduring questions: what does it mean to continue living, waiting and hoping when there is no certainty that what we are waiting for will ever arrive?

One of the lines from the play that has remained particularly significant to Ayaz comes during a conversation between Estragon and Vladimir:

“We always give ourselves the impression that we exist.”
“Yes, yes, we are magicians.”

The exchange captures the strange philosophy of Waiting for Godot. Its characters seem trapped in repetition, yet their conversations, companionship and continued waiting become the very things that sustain them. More than seventy years after its first performance, Beckett’s play continues to speak to audiences because its central uncertainty remains profoundly human.

The October production also carries a significant international cultural dimension.

The Samuel Beckett Society joins the production as its Official Literary Partner. The Society’s involvement connects the Islamabad production with an international literary and cultural community dedicated to the study and legacy of Samuel Beckett.

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) joins the production as its Official Cause Partner, continuing its longstanding commitment to providing quality education to underprivileged children across Pakistan.

The production’s International Cultural Partner is San Patrizio Festival, adding another international dimension to the staging of an Irish literary classic in Pakistan.

The production is being staged with the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Pakistan, further strengthening the cultural connection between Ireland and Pakistan through one of Ireland’s most internationally celebrated playwrights.

The convergence of these partnerships gives the Islamabad production a significance that extends beyond a single theatrical run. Beckett’s work emerged from the Irish literary tradition but has travelled across languages, continents and theatrical traditions. Its arrival in Urdu reflects the continuing ability of literature to cross cultural boundaries and acquire new life in new languages.

For Qissa Khwani Theatrics, the production continues a sustained engagement with challenging literary and theatrical works. Founded in Islamabad in 2021, the independent theatre collective has developed a body of work that includes original theatre, translations, adaptations and literary performance.

Qissa Khwani Theatrics was founded by Ahmad Umar Ayaz, Muhammad Arslan and Abdul Basit Mushtaq. Ahmad Umar Ayaz is an Urdu short story writer, playwright and screenwriter. Muhammad Arslan is a NAPA-trained actor who has worked in an internationally distributed film and has been featured in international magazines. Abdul Basit Mushtaq is a NAPA-trained theatre actor and producer, recognised for his strong stage presence and understanding of the technicalities of production. Their work as performers, writers and theatre makers has been central to the collective’s development and its commitment to serious, literary and contemporary theatre.

The collective previously staged Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis in an Urdu translation by Ahmad Umar Ayaz, with Muhammad Arslan as a performer and Abdul Basit Mushtaq contributing as a producer. Its original works include Notes to Nihilism, Pehla Admi and Khali Kothi, with Muhammad Arslan appearing as a performer across the collective’s productions and Abdul Basit Mushtaq serving as a producer on its theatrical work. Its work has also included the dramatic reading project Andr Shehr and other literary and theatrical productions.

Qissa Khwani Theatrics’ engagement with Waiting for Godot began with its January 2026 production at PNCA. Following four houseful performances and a highly acclaimed reception, the production returns in October in the same form, retaining the original creative team and cast.

The production is directed by Hammad Zulfiqar, a filmmaking graduate with a master’s degree in filmmaking from the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, and translated and produced by Ahmad Umar Ayaz.

The production also features Muhammad Arslan, Abdul Basit Mushtaq and Hammad Zulfiqar, whose varied experience in acting, production and filmmaking strengthens the ensemble.

Usman Shafique is a versatile actor who has worked with theatre companies throughout Pakistan, including touring theatre productions, and is known for his ability to adapt to a wide range of roles.

The cast brings together experienced theatre practitioners. Syed Qasim Shah is a NAPA-trained master actor whose work across theatre in Pakistan has earned him respect for the quality and depth of his craft.

CAST

Syed Qasim Shah

Muhammad Arslan

Hammad Zulfiqar

Abdul Basit Mushtaq

Usman Shafique

CREW

Production Manager: Moazzam Rafique

Costume: Areesh Amber Malik

Makeup: Sarah Malik

PR: Fatima Rajput & Eifa Ahmad Awan

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot

1 to 4 October 2026

7:00 PM

Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Islamabad

Admission by registration only

Registration:

https://buytickets.at/qissakhwanitheatrics1/2385145

PARTNERS

With the support of
Embassy of Ireland in Pakistan

Official Cause Partner
The Citizens Foundation

Official Literary Partner
Samuel Beckett Society

International Cultural Partner
San Patrizio Festival

Official Food Partner
Cheezious

Official Publishing Partner
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ABOUT QISSA KHANWI THEATRICS

Qissa Khwani Theatrics is an independent theatre collective based in Islamabad, Pakistan, founded in 2021 by Ahmad Umar Ayaz, Muhammad Arslan and Abdul Basit Mushtaq. The collective works across original writing, translation, adaptation and performance, with Ahmad Umar Ayaz leading much of its writing and directing work. Muhammad Arslan is a NAPA-trained actor with experience in internationally distributed film and international magazine features, while Abdul Basit Mushtaq is a NAPA-trained theatre actor and producer who contributes both strong stage presence and technical production knowledge. The collective has a particular interest in literary, experimental and contemporary theatre.

Its productions include Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Notes to Nihilism, Pehla Admi, Khali Kothi and Andr Shehr, among other theatrical and literary projects.

Qissa Khwani Theatrics seeks to create theatre that brings literature, philosophy and contemporary questions into direct conversation with Pakistani audiences.

ONLINE

Website
https://www.qissakhwanitheatrics.com/

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MEDIA AND PRESS ENQUIRIES

Qissa Khwani Theatrics

Islamabad, Pakistan