Report: Thinkers' Club Session 12

Date: 26th October 2014

Session # 12

Attended by: 11 participants

Report written by: Fatima Salman

Time flies by, Session twelve is over too! A few members had been unable to attend the session due to a strike, but most of the members came.

In this session, we mainly practiced saying the dialogues for the play. I think that everyone was doing better than last time. Here is a bit about the characters of the play ‘Who will bell the cat?’

There are two main characters, a princess of the mice and budsoorat, a female slave. Then there’s a king of the mice and an old mouse, who invented the bell. There’s a cat, she’s one of the main characters too. Another important character is Aesop, he’ll come in the beginning and end, to tell about the play. There are some other characters too, like worker mice, but these are the main characters.

There is a prompter too, she won’t be performing, but she would be doing a lot of work offstage. The word prompter means, a person who is offstage and follows a play in progress with the book, repeating missed cues and supplying actors with forgotten lines. Our prompter will also help with dressing the characters in costumes, and calling the people to the stage when their turn comes to perform.

So that’s about it. We will Insha Allah be performing the play sometime in November. I hope it will continue to improve.

Thank you

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 11

Date: 19th October, 2014

Session # 11

Attended by: 12 participants

Report written by: Zainab Salman

Today was our 11^th session. We started at 10:15, when most of the members had arrived. Manzar Uncle had rewritten the fable, ‘Who will bell the cat?’ to a play in Urdu, in a different style. The roles were given and the scripts were handed out. Everyone practiced saying their dialogues in order. A couple of kids were left out, so Manzar Uncle said he’d edit the play so that everyone gets to participate.

The play was really interesting and made me think. Although it was about mice (and a cat!) but the message it constructed about us humans was very true. We give great ideas but when it comes to applying the ideas in real life, no one’s brave enough to do it.

We were told that this play will be staged in the PACC auditorium with proper costumes, tickets, music, and an audience, Insha Allah in the mid of November. Any members not present in the last two sessions can join in the next session with permission from their parents to participate and perform in the play.

Thank you 


Ibraheem Salman, the youngest member of our club wrote about the session too.

Report of session 11 by Ibraheem salman.

We will do a part of the play. 
Manzar uncle told the roles of the 12 kids. 
Manzar Uncle gave the script too.

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 10

Date: 12th October, 2014

Session # 10

Attended by: 8 participants

Report written by: Fatima Salman

In this session, Manzar Imam Sahib told us about the play which we’ll be performing in November. Change of plan, we’ll only be performing one play ‘Who will bell the cat?’ in which everyone will get a chance to perform. We’ll be performing this in a huge auditorium with costumes, a background set, props, and music. A pianist is arranged to do the music, a costume making company has been contacted to make the costumes. Manzar Imam Sahib is re-writing the famous fable ‘Who will bell the cat?’ in Urdu. In the next session, he will read it out to us and give out the lines and script. It is all very exciting.

Then, we were asked to question those questions which had ever crossed our mind and we had been unable find the answer. Someone asked that When we heat a liquid, it stays a liquid, but when we heat (boil) an egg, how does it turns into a solid? This was an interesting question, and definitely something to think about; the variety of matter God created. Different questions were asked and answered such as Who invented the clock? A discussion about Bermuda Triangle arose in between and people shared their opinions about it.

After the session was over, most of the kids stayed back for a while and had a good time.
Overall, this session was interesting and the members enjoyed.

From a Cow's\Goat's perspective Writings by club members

This is a writing by Zainab Salman about the feelings of a cow.

Below is a writing by Fatima Salman.

From a Cow’s perspective who will be slaughtered tomorrow.

I am feeling angry, fed up and bored. Tomorrow, I will be slaughtered and cut into pieces. Whenever I see the boy who looks after me, I can’t help thinking that he’ll be eating me tomorrow night. The rope tied around my neck is hardly a meter long and I can’t move around freely at all. When the people take me for a walk, at least twenty more people join us with four or five more cows. They yell around the streets and make us run with them. Sigh. There seems to be no more peace in the little of my life left.

Below is a writing by Rijja Aitesam

I am a Goat. My name is Momo. I was living a green grassy cattle form where I was playing with my friends. I love to play with children who take care of me, they bring green grass for me they enjoy to sit with me and cheering me. I feel very angry when they pull my ear. I feel alone when no one around me I call someone mahhh, mahhh,

I love to play with children we run into the ground. I am very friendly goat. My skin is white with black spots. I have two long ears and sharp horns that I used to protect myself.

Beauty and Fashion by Fatima (club member)

This is a picture I drew on Paint on the theme, Beauty and Fashion. One girl is representing Fashion and the other is representing Beauty and Simplicity. 

Beauty vs Fashion by Zainab Salman (club member)

Fashion is something somebody likes, which gradually becomes ‘Fashion’. For example, nowadays, the ‘Fashion’ is to wear torn Jeans that are torn from one knee. But if someone gives me a ‘fashionable ‘ pair of torn Jeans,  which doesn’t look ‘beautiful’, but it’s quite ‘fashionable’, I may wear it. But if it’s not Beautiful, I’ll patch it up, so it looks much better, and even if it’s not ‘fashionable’ at least it’s ‘beautiful’. This is a simple version of defining and differentiating between what’s ‘Fashion’ and what’s ‘Beauty’ and learning which one is better.  If you go for ‘Fashionable’ and not ‘Beautiful’, you should think once again. For example, if the Fashion is to wear long shirt and I get one stitched, and start wearing it. But soon, as it does, the fashion will change to short shirts, and my long shirt will be left behind, useless. So it’s much better to choose ‘Beauty’, rather than ‘Fashion’,  because your definition of Beauty won’t change soon, and if it does, you’re the one in control of it, and Beauty is always Beauty whether it’s Fashionable or not. 
Can you tell which one is Fashion and which is Beauty?

Beauty and Fashion, by Kenza (online member)

Symbols of Love and Beauty

• Chinese Symbol of Beauty – The Chinese symbol of Beauty is 美 Měi. It is also known to be a sign of being pretty, exquisite or fine.
• Isis, Aphrodite, Venus – These famous goddesses were symbols of beauty or love in their ancient cultures. Isis was known to be the goddess of love in Egyptian mythology, while
• Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty in Greek mythology and Venus was the Roman version of Aphrodite. 
• Swans – Swans are used as a symbol of grace, love and faithfulness in many cultures. The reason is because they are known to have a longer relationship and fidelity
• Roses – Roses are a very common symbol of love, beauty and romance, mainly the red rose. They were commonly known in the War of the Roses, in 15th Century England, now being the national flower of the country.

Symbols of Fashion

• Jeans (ripped, faded, etc) – Ripped/Faded Jeans are a popular way of expressing fashion these days. They are deliberately cut at the knees or coloured over in a messy light colour to show they’ve worn out, even when they’re brand new.
• Handbags – Modern handbags are a way of exhibiting bags, slung on one ­half of the shoulder. They can even be tacky and come in lots of different styles.
• Red Carpets/Limos – Fame always links to the red carpet and limos. They’re often symbolised as a way to brag about being rich and stylish and are usually shown to be the centre of attraction.
• Make­up – Make­up has been a very popular way of dressing up for centuries. Until recently, lead was used for eyeliner until people found out that it was dangerous. In ancient Egypt, people would wear black eyeliner, also known as kohl. Nowadays, many girls and women wear a lot of mascara, nail varnish, hair dye and lipstick when going out, whereas modesty does not follow this trend.

Fashion vs Beauty Artwork by Kenza

Report: Thinkers' Club Session 9

Session # 9
Date: 5th October, 2014
Attended by: 7 participants
Report written by: Fatima Salman

This session was on the day before Eid ul Azha, and therefore, several participants were unable to join today’s session. However, a very special announcement was made today. 

Manzar sahib told us about a play he had written, Mir Kallo ki Gawahi. He told us about that play in which there is a case in the court, and the witness runs away. So the people have to find a new witness. They ask a man standing outside the court to be witness for them in exchange for some money. But the man knows nothing about the case. So when he is questioned, he gives weird answers that would fit any situation.

The play seemed very interesting, but it was very long, so we didn’t listen to the whole of it. But the announcement was that we will be performing that play in a real theatre. Probably in mid-November. Along with this one, we’ll also be performing the fable ‘Who will bell the Cat?’

In this session, we also presented the art work and writings on Fashion and Beauty. All the work will be shared online.

Another task was also done in the session. We had to write   a narrative about the feelings of an animal that will be scarified for Eid ul Azha. The writings will be shared online.

My message to all the members who are reading this is to Please be regular. If you want to perform in that play, please come in the next session and the sessions after. We will start holding proper rehearsals soon. If it is not possible for you to come, let us know through email.

Thank you