Contacting the World is a Connecting Futures project in the field of performing arts involving sixteen young theatre companies aiming to meet the following objectives:

			To create opportunities for mutual exchange and creative collaboration between young people from diverse groups and cultures
			To explore and develop new ways of theatre making and participation which genuinely allows young people to have decision-making power in the creative process
			To show how the telling of a shared story can be presented in different cultural forms reflecting cultural and creative diversity
			By the end of the project a theatre production will be developed which will tour Pakistan and the UK.

The project is in its first year and up until now the twinned groups- Black Fish theatre group from Karachi, Pakistan and Peshkar Productions from Oldham, UK- have gelled together well. Monthly assignments were given to the groups who performed them as per the agreed deadlines. This consistent collaboration of young theatre artists belonging to the Connecting Futures age group is a great way to start off a three-year project aiming to create long lasting impact.

Sazaad ur Rahman from Peshkar Productions visited Pakistan in March 2004 to get in touch with the Black Fish theatre group, reciprocated by a similar visit to the UK by Saad Haroon of Black Fish group. Awareness of each other’s working environment and practical capabilities has resulted from these ambassadorial visits. Both the groups are on cordial terms with each other and a very useful exchange is taking place between Pakistani and the UK based youth.

Future plans include Black Fish and Peshkar productions meeting in the UK in July 2004 to attend a series of workshops and also to conduct their performances, which they are currently developing. Sixteen young theatre groups from eight countries will be displaying their creativity at these  workshops.

An Introduction to Black Fish

With no actual theatre space to call their own, Black Fish rehearse and perform wherever possible, and whenever they can. With a knack for theatrics and a desire for a challenge, Black Fish have also performed in two other cities in Pakistan and is scheduled to perform for Contacting the World theatre project in Manchester, England in July 2004.

Black Fish have made a name for themselves in a very short span of time. Impressed by the success and talent of Black Fish, local television producers have approached the troupe to bring its performances to the screen. However, the group leader Saad Haroon is of the view ‘The troupe realises that the “fun and thrill” of improvised comedy is in its live performance’.