July, 2010
Like A Fishbone @ The Bush Theatre, London
A contained model town sits in the centre of an architect’s office. Within this ordered and clinical setting, a tragic tale of loss is unveiled. Anthony Weigh’s gripping new play explores what it is to have faith and whether truth can sit alongside it.
The play opens with a blind woman entering the office of a female architect. She has arrived unannounced but with purpose. There’s an uncomfortable feeling hanging in the air, which is as relentless as the rain that trickles down the windows, intensified further by the intimate space. As the two women converse, the story of a massacre at a school is revealed and they discuss the best way to move on from the ordeal. What ensues is an intense dialogue between the women about faith, symbols, truth and the purpose of architecture. One believes in the power of religion whilst the other creates new truths.
Sarah Smart is superb as the blind woman. She conveys the anguish of a woman having to live with unimaginable pain in a world without light, whilst Deborah Findlay gives a sound performance as the successful architect. Together the two women create an atmosphere charged with emotion and unease. The intensity is cleverly broken by the interruptions of an over eager and somewhat annoying intern played brilliantly by Phoebe Waller Bridge.
Throughout the play there is also an undertone of a feminist debate. The two women are mothers and have varying roles. One is extremely maternal and a Christian, whilst the other is an ambitious career minded woman whose son lives with his father. The inclusion of a feminist argument is perhaps a little too much for a play, which is already so laden with so many issues.
Although, a little ambitious, Like A Fishbone demonstrates the power of theatre that’s close enough to touch. It’s escapism of an intense kind.
Like A Fishbone runs at the Bush Theatre until 10th July
In Conversation with: David Harewood
Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Friar Tuck are but a few of the roles that David
Harewood has under his belt. He is now playing the mythological figure
Theseus in Welcome to Thebes which is running at the National Theatre.
Amardeep catches up with him during rehearsals to discuss Mandela, Mugabe
and the pull of America.
AS: How are rehearsals going?
DH: Really interesting. It’s a great piece. It’s a modern classic with huge elements of Greek tragedy. It has been somewhat difficult finding a style with the writer constantly writing and re-tuning so it’s been a little difficult for the actors. So much has been changed; lines and cues have been changed so it has been a very difficult rehearsal process.
What has it been like working with Richard Eyre?
He’s wonderful. He’s a really impressive pedigree. It’s such a big piece and he has taken such time in sculpting it and now I think we’re getting to the stage where it’s much more detailed. It’s really interesting.
Can you talk me through the synopsis?
It’s difficult to explain really. The play burrows from the story of Phaedra and Theseus. Thebes is like a small African nation which has recently come out of a horrendous civil war, and Athens is like America and Theseus is kind of like Obama. Thebes is like a very powerful nation going to a new democracy, somewhere like Liberia. I say Liberia because it has an almost all female cabinet. The play is almost a celebration of women in politics. It’s asking the question: why aren’t there more women in politics and how does a woman serve in politics with politics being a very male dominating world? Theseus is a typical Alpha male and comes to this small African country ruled by women and is rather dismissive of it really.
So we get to see an interesting male/female dynamic?
Yes, a very interesting male/female dynamic and a very interesting male/female political dynamic as well. You see how the politics of need meet the politics of greed. I think that’s an interesting point. I mean here we are, halfway into the 21st century and the western world still hasn’t got an adequate, sufficient dialogue with the third world. We still haven’t got the right way of dealing with poorer nations. They’re still very much with their hands out and we’re still treating them as underlings as it were. We’re not really helping them develop.
And how does playing a mythological figure differ from playing an historical figure?
Not much really. You still have to find the character and it’s still about putting flesh on the bones, it’s the job of the actor to find that.
You’ve played quite a few historical figures, which one are you most proud of?
Hard question. On stage, it would be Martin Luther King in The Mountaintop and then Mandela. That was fantastic. I’m really proud of it. I feel really blessed to have come to know him. Most people come to know him as Nelson Mandela who did that thing in the 90s without really understanding him. To have faced what he did when he did, against who he did is just astonishing. He was so peaceful and without bitterness or any notion of revenge. For him to spend 27 years locked up and them to come out and be so gracious is astonishing.
Did you get to meet him?
I very nearly did. He wasn’t very well when I was there. His personal assistant spoke to me and said he wished me luck, which was good enough for me really.
Is there anyone else that you really want to play?
Many. Lots of Africans. Mugabe is somebody I would love to play. Again, it’s very easy in the west to have a notion of these African leaders being dictators without really understanding that the first wave of African leaders really did start off with the highest of intentions and were successful at first. The literacy rate in Zimbabwe increased two fold when Mugabe first came to power; it was a thriving African nation. I didn’t know at the time that the South Africans were at the border trying to blow up aeroplanes and that the British were also trying to undermine Mugabe because it wasn’t in their interests to have a successful African democracy.
You’re quoted in the Evening Standard as saying it’s an exciting time for
black actors. What do you think has brought about this change?
I just think we have had two or three generations of extremely talented black actors, extremely well taught and trained. We’ve now got a generation of black actors who have gone to America and made a success, come back and proved that you don’t necessarily have to go through the BBC and ITV route. You can almost bypass them and go straight to America. Now that America has seen the talent here, it has really given a lot of the younger actors hope and I think that’s a really good thing. Although it’s a shame you have to go over there to become a big success.
Why do you think that it’s easier to be successful in America?
I just don’t think there are the parts here. The framework still isn’t in place here for black actors to be acknowledged on their own merits. I think it’s still a very tough, a very white world in terms of management, in terms of artistic directors, and leadership. It’s still a very white, male dominated place. In America it’s different. I think it’s confused here by class and education and privileged education. There’s a sense of entitlement and right and you only have to look at the people who are writing in those top hit shows to see they are all from Oxford and Cambridge. It’s simply difficult for us to break into that really.
What would you like to see more of in the arts?
Me. I just think there needs to be more risk taking. We’re living in funny times. I’d like to see more risks taken on screen and television; with writing, casting and subject matter. I just think it’s all a bit formulaic and I think that there’s more acceptance of cross casting and multi-racial diversity in theatre. It would be interesting just to get more of a diverse approach to casting on screen.
What’s next for you after the run at the National?
Who knows? I kind of tend to concentrate on what I’m doing at that particular time. I am hoping to break into the American market. I have an American manager now and an American agent. I was in LA in February and it’s really exciting. There’s so much more work and so many more opportunities there. I understand why so many of our black actors are going there. I saw this piece of paper at one of the auditions that I went to and it read “please send more ethnic actors to these auditions, we’re not getting enough of a diverse cast.” They want to see more colour. Very few American shows are cast all white. It has to be that way because it’s reflecting on their society and they feel it’s going to bring a larger audience. Whereas here, it still looks the same.
Who would be your five dinner party guests, past or present?
Jesus, he’d be a laugh. Jack Nicholson, he makes me laugh. Nina Simone, she could sing. Frankie Howard and Mandela
Welcome to Thebes runs at the National Theatre until 18th August
2010
REVIEW: Behud @
Soho Theatre
By Amardeep Sohi
In 2004, a play called Behzti came to the Birmingham Rep amid protests, riots and controversy. Six years on and playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti has responded to those events with a new play. Behud (beyond belief), explores artistic freedom and the various influences that were imposed on Bhatti throughout this time.
The play opens with a woman lying across a wooden table on Hannah Clarke’s stark white set. Wearing a stained orange hoodie and baggy bottoms, she awakens and sits down to write. Her name is Tarlochan Kaur Grewal and she watches on as everyone involved in the production of her play, Gund (a reference to Bezhti) arrive on stage through various doors. From policeman to artistic directors and community leaders, each character attempts to influence the play and unfolding events. Like a maestro, Grewal controls each person with vigour and enacts her revenge, until the point that she loses all control and becomes distressed. Chetna Pandya does well in conveying the angst of the imposed upon playwright, whilst John Hodgkinson brings humour in his role as the self-important artistic director but becomes almost cringe worthy as the unsympathetic policeman.
Bhatti’s follow up was always going to be overshadowed and heavily influenced by her previous play, but Behud leaves a lot to be desired. It is a complex exploration of the playwright’s journey, but her characters are merely types who are difficult to engage with and the script could use another edit. Her one feat however, is how she raises the issue of agenda, particularly with work linked to an ethnic minority. The issue is a delicate one but Bhatti makes the point well, showing that individual or political agendas are never far from her work. She also successfully demonstrates an awareness of everything that is wrong with British Asian theatre as her character ironically tells the artistic director to “Put on those Enid Blyton Asian plays where everyone loves each other in the end”.
Behud seems more like a cathartic, autobiographical experience
for Bhatti rather than a great play. Let’s hope the furore surrounding
Behzti can finally be laid to rest and she uses her platform to really
influence the direction of British Asian theatre for the better
REVIEW: Off the Endz@
Royal Court Theatre
By Amardeep Sohi
Drugs, gun crime and spiralling debt are rife in Off the Endz, a play about life on a London estate. Playing downstairs in the Jerwood theatre at the Royal Court, Bola Agbaje’s status as a serious playwright has been cemented. A bold if somewhat contentious play, Off the Endz presents another topical issue of society with Agbaje’s trademark coupling of humour and high drama.
Sharon (Lorraine Burroughs) and Kojo (Daniel Francis) are a young working couple who are expecting their first child and looking to buy a house away from the estate. David (Ashley Walters) is their childhood friend, who returns from prison to up heave their seemingly stable lives. Having grown up together on the estate, the three have come to lead separate lives but all strive for something better. Their quest culminates with their lives being put in danger and relationships put to the test.
Performances by the principal characters are strong and Ashley Walters’ fans will not be disappointed as he bares all, literally. There are moments of humour and shock, all well timed and effective although sometimes they are taken too far. David’s torrent of abuse for example elicits a roar amongst the audience but becomes ineffectual as he labours on with the gag. The set transfers from the polished interior of Sharon and Kojo’s flat to the job centre and estate grounds. However, a very real sense of being on the estate is only created by the fluorescent graffiti branding the walls of the stage between scenes.
Much like Agbaje’s last play Detaining Justice, Off the Endz offers a balanced view of a burning issue and Agbaje does this through the characters of David and Sharon. David is cocky, brutally honest and disillusioned with the system. He believes that selling drugs is “a better system”. He is opposed by Sharon, the strong female voice of reason who is determined to make “an honest living”. Agbaje demonstrates the ease with which people fall into a life of crime out of disillusionment and presents the way forward without adopting a preaching tone. However, her characters are in danger of falling into stereotypes.
Off the Endz is well written, well performed and enjoyable to
watch however, one hopes that Agbaje’s next offering will be a little less
predictable and venture out into the unknown.
REVIEW: Disconnect@
Royal Court Theatre
By Amardeep Sohi
An Indian call centre takes centre stage once more in Chennai based playwright
Anupama Chanbdreskhar’s latest work, Disconnect. Set in the offices of
Blitz-Tel, a call centre employed by the American finance company, True
Blue Capital, staff are tasked with chasing up credit card debt through
the night. The play humanises the call centre as staff adopt personas and
accents to survive this soul destroying job, whilst attempting to empathise
with their debtors. The play succeeds in humanising what has become a bane
of contemporary society, but it fails to really take off.
Ross, (also known as Roshan), Vidya and Giri are supervised by Avinash and together they make up team Illinois. The soulless environment in which they work is created by a grey set, papered from floor to ceiling with unpaid credit card bills. As the team strive to achieve their targets, they are revealed as a group of hardworking callers who dream of other lives and locations. Ross is the star collector with a seemingly authentic American accent and dreams of living in America. He believes that there “is no formula to collecting”. This human and at times creative approach to debt collecting is responsible for his eventual downfall. Ross’ love interest Vidya is known as Vicki and longs to be white. At the 4th of July party, she wanders onto stage as a rather creepy looking Snow White.
The narrative is at times difficult to follow as calls take place simultaneously but there are moments of excellence, mainly delivered by Nikesh Patel who plays Ross. He makes his professional debut in Disconnect and it is a sterling debut. Although Ayesha Dharker expresses Vidya’s vulnerability with charm and sweetness, the cast remain very much in Patel’s shadow.
The play is a sound attempt at putting call centres, contemporary
India and the global effect of America’s economy into the spotlight, but
much like the desks which only swivel about on stage between scenes, the
issues are present and mobile but don’t really leave any lasting impression.
REVIEW: Serenading Louie @ The Donmar Theatre
By Amardeep Sohi
Two successful couples in their 30s, disillusioned, starved
of passion and questioning their purpose in life, forms the plot of Langford
Wilson’s play Serenading
Louie. Written and first performed in 1976 it is very much a reflection
of the times. Intense and at times uneasy watch, the play questions
the 'American Dream' in a period of transition.
One living room with connecting bedrooms and kitchen houses the two couples, separately. This simple setting is offset by the complexities of the relationships which play out on stage. Alex and Gabi are a couple who are unable to communicate. One is moody whilst the other anxious. Carl and Mary are their friends who are able to converse but fail to address the one aspect of their lives which could destroy their relationship.
As the play unfolds, the couples go through the motions of reflecting on their individual relationships, desires and dreams. Alex reflects on how he feels “in service” whilst having sex with his wife, whereas Carl cannot connect with life and accepts that “nobody is content with it”. What is interesting is that unusually, it is the male characters that are most expressive and dissect their relationships and roles in life. The women do not engage in the same manner and their inner feelings are never really explicit, resulting in an interesting tone and dynamic. Although, the discussions which take place between Alex and Carl can at times be lengthy and drawn out, they do also highlight the political unease of the period.
Performances by the cast are fantastic. Geraldine Somerville is superb as the steely Mary who shields her vulnerability and the twitchy and confused congressman Alex is played with conviction by Jason Butler Harner.
An American take on the pitfalls of long term relationships, the play highlights how dysfunctional relationships can be frightening and destructive places to inhabit.
REVIEW: Dunsinane@Hampstead Theatre
By Amardeep Sohi
Commissioned by the RSC, David Greig’s new play explores the events following
Macbeth’s death. The English Army has stormed Scotland and is looking to
restore power. What ensues is a bloody and callous power struggle which,
when teamed with a witty and sharp script, results in an engaging and powerful
play.
As the English army search for the Queen’s son and heir to the throne, betrayal and violence are rife as the opposing sides vie for power and wealth. Every man has his own agenda but it is the commanding officer Siward who attempts to resolve the problems, whilst dealing with his own personal tragedy in what is the most hostile of environments. The harshness of this hostile land is reflected well in the stony and gravelly set.
Amidst the fight for power and position, the Queen and Siward succumb to the sexual tension between them and become embroiled in a liaison which only complicates the situation further. The sexuality between them is played out well by Jonny Phillips and Siobhan Redmond, who saunters around the stage as the shrewd and fiery Grauch. Sam Swann plays the endearing Boy Soldier whose naivety demonstrates a soldier fighting a war beyond his years. He is surrounded by an army of rugged young men who engage in boyish banter throughout, thus lightening the drama which unfolds.
Dunsinane is a play which sees power and politics played out with
drastic consequences, sprinkled with a touch of humour and in true RSC
style, the violence and injuries inflicted are so very real. A truly clever
and commendable commission.
REVIEW: Really Old, Like Forty Five
By Amardeep Sohi
As the title suggests, Tamsin Oglesby’s new play focuses on the older generation.
A black comedy which explores the issue of dementia and society’s attitude
towards the elderly, it borders on the bizarre with robotic nurses and
babies strewn across the divided stage.
Resembling a traditional British sitcom, the opening of the play shows promise. Elderly siblings, Lyn, Robbie and Alice are joined by Lyn’s daughter and Alice’s grandson to watch a play. As they break for the interval, they engage in sharp, comic banter as questions of age, parental responsibility and the role of grandchildren arise. A swivel of the stage and we’re introduced to The Ark, an institute which has set out to study this particular demographic of society and develop a drug for dementia. They offer hilarious solutions for coping with the elderly - slow lanes on pavements for example.
The plot progresses in these two opposing arenas but the play fails to live up to its initial promise. As Lyn experiences the onset of dementia, the Ark constantly interrupts and in doing so detracts from the subject matter and removes any real connection to the characters. It becomes a futile addition to the play. The only moment of brilliance is delivered by Michela Meazza who plays the robotic nurse Mimi perfectly. Although, Marcia Warren is close behind as Alice, who ultimately becomes the granny one wishes to take home for a cup of tea.
The play attempts to tackle the subject of dementia with dark
humour and no logic but it ultimately becomes a disappointing and confused
take on a delicate subject matter.
REVIEW: The 14th Tale
By Amardeep Sohi
A dusty stage, a fold up chair and a spotlight are all the tools required by
Inua Ellams to tell his tale. “A word and graphic artist” Inua was born
in Nigeria, later moving to Ireland and England. His work brings together
the visual and the written word in this award winning one man show. The
14th Tale is a fusion of childhood memories, reflections and anecdotes,
all delivered in one slick act.
The play opens to the sound of hospital commotion. Inua is dressed
in jeans and a t-shirt, stained with what looks like blood. He begins by
reflecting on being a ‘trouble-maker’ which he explains is a family trait.
We learn of how he “climbed into the world already in trouble” having hidden
his sister in the womb. He continues by telling various anecdotes from
his life; how he tried to convince his teacher that Moses retrieved water
from a tap, how he got revenge on the school bully and adjusted to life
in London and Dublin. Ellams has the audience laughing out loud, and hanging
on his next word as he impersonates each person in his story and emulates
his words through his panther like movements.
Produced by Fuel, The 14 Tale triumphs as a melange of stories delivered
with poetic and comic brilliance. Ellams manages to maintain simplicity
through the tapestry of his tale and ensures a memorable performance,
without feeding stereotypes.
The 14th Tale is visiting the National Theatre for 10 performances
until 13th March.
REVIEW: I Am Yusuf And This Is My Brother
By Amardeep Sohi
Palestine. 1947. Yusuf and Ali are two brothers whose loyalty to one another
is unfounded. Yusuf is warm, radiant and childlike, whilst his brother
Ali is protective yet loving. Their story plays out against a backdrop
of division and unrest, as the UK mandate ends and the UN seals the fate
of this troubled land. For its latest offering, the Young Vic has partnered
with Shiber Hur, a Palestinian theatre company, who previously toured villages
and refugee camps in the West Bank and Galilee to deliver the tragic history
of a divided people and land.
The play opens in 2000 with an elderly couple involved in a struggle. The elderly man is refusing to wash and clearly has mental health issues. With only a dusty brown sheet draped across the stage, we travel back to 1947 where we’re introduced to the brothers Yusuf (Amer Hlehel) and Ali (Ali Suliman), play fighting in the dirt. Their tale of brotherly love runs alongside the traditional tale of two star crossed lovers. Ali is in love with Nada (Samaa Wakeem), a local girl whose father opposes the union. The two threads run alongside one another until the conflict forces them into dire circumstances. As events unfold, the elderly couple roam the stage, each stepping into their individual and collective past along the way.
The historical context of the play is evident as the UN vote triggers the chain of events. However, the tragedy and political unease of the period remains very much in the background, leaving the audience craving more. Military presence is merely symbolised by a lone soldier Rufus (Paul Fox), who has a fleeting flirt with a young Palestinian girl, before returning to Sheffield. There are no scenes of war, only the desperate plight of refugees. What the play lacks in history it makes up for in authenticity as dialogue is delivered in both Arabic and English, accompanied by the haunting vocals of a young girl who wonders the stage with an eerie presence.
Although relationships are at the forefront, the play is ultimately one of division; of land, of lovers, of brothers and of countrymen. But it is the play’s treatment of the past and present which is pure genius. The past and present are forever entwined, each one impacting on the other and never forgotten.
I Am Yusuf And This Is My Brother runs at the Young Vic until 6th February 2010.
In Conversation with Bola Agbaje
By Amardeep Sohi
Bola Agbaje is a young playwright who is currently under commission to the
Royal Court Theatre. Her previous play Detaining Justice was part of the
Not
Black and White season at the Tricycle theatre. Amardeep asks Bola about
immigration, Gordon Brown and other burning issues.
What first prompted you to write and submit your play Gone Too Far to the Royal Court’s Young Writer’s Festival?
I had just finished the Critical Mass course at the Royal Court and at the end we were encouraged to write a play and submit for the festival. I wrote Gone Too Far and it was selected as one of the two plays to be performed.
You've stated that the world projected in your previous play Gone Too Far was known to you because you experienced life on a London estate. What was your inspiration for tackling the issue of immigration in Detaining Justice?
I have always been fascinated by the subject of immigration. I find it so interesting that I take for granted the fact I have a British passport and I often misplace it, whilst to another individual it is their lifeline.
How did you begin to research the topic?
I went on a week long course at the Asylum and Immigration Advice Centre(AIC). I learnt a lot about the different types of visas people apply for and also the different cases that the AIC deal with. I spoke to a lawyer who also dealt with immigration and asylum cases.
You weave a complex web of issues surrounding immigration, what do you hope people will take away from it?
If there is only one thing people take from the play, I hope it is this – immigrants and asylum seekers are not all the same. They are human beings like everyone else and many aspire for a better life, the same way we all dream for a better future. The ‘immigration problem’ the government wants to resolve does not have straight forward solutions. I am not sure if I would even call it a problem. The play was not written to answer question or give solutions.
I read in an interview that you sent a letter to Gordon Brown asking him to see your play Gone Too Far. Did you ever receive a response?
No he didn't get back to me. I didn't think he would but anything is worth a try. The offer is still open. Gone Too Far has been published and if and when he ready to talk and hear me out he can. My door is always open.
Do you find it difficult to write without thinking about how critics or the public will receive your work?
The moment I start concentrating on people’s opinions I have to put my pen down or step away from the computer because it often means I need a little break. My aim as a writer is to be truthful to the character and the story. When I start to think about critics and being liked I am not being truthful.
How have you found the experience of being part of a three play programme at the Tricycle? Did it ease the pressure at all, to undertake this with Roy Williams and Kwame Kwei-Armah?
I was under immense pressure. I am the new kid on the block. This was only my second published play and I was told by many writers that your second piece is never as good as your first, so if I say I was scared I would be lying. I was petrified. However, I was also honoured to be asked to be a part of the season. I knew I had to work hard on my piece because Roy and Kwame have both set very high standards in their careers.
(Playwright) Roy Williams recently said that theatre’s landscape has changed significantly since he first started out and that there are more prolific writers of colour now. In the time that you’ve been writing, what changes have you noticed?
I have noticed many young people aspiring to become writers. Many new audiences are attending the theatre.
Are you exploring any other mediums, such as writing for TV or film?
I have written Gone Too Far as a film script. This year I have written 3 short films with a friend of mine, John Dayo who is also an aspiring director under his production company Day Zero Productions.
Do you have a burning issue that you are itching to tackle next?
I am always fascinated with the question of choice, fate and destiny and will always aim to explore these three themes.
What's next for you?
My third play Off the Endz will be on at the Royal Court Theatre at the end of January in the theatre downstairs. It’s a play that focuses on choice and debts; the debt people find themselves in because of the state of the economy and also emotional debt. What do we owe our friends and ourselves?
REVIEW: Detaining Justice
Tricycle Theatre
By Amardeep Sohi
Immigration and Justice are two words which are
very rarely heard together. More than just a snapshot of immigration in
London today, Bola Agbaje’s play is complex, layered and rife with contradictions.
Detaining Justice is part of the Tricycle theatre’s Not Black and White
series. Alongside Roy Williams and Kwame Kwei-Armah, Agbaje certainly
cements her position as a playwright to be taken seriously. She handles
the issue with an intelligence and honesty, which will leave you not only
questioning society's treatment of the issue but your own.
We follow the story of Justice, a young Nigerian boy detained for entering the country illegally having fled his homeland. We piece together his story through various sketches. We meet the disenchanted lawyer who volunteers to fight his case, the sister who will stop at nothing to help him, the pastor who connects the community and the black enforcement office determined to make sure he “goes back to his country”. As his story unfolds, we understand his plight and the unjust treatment he must endure as a result.
We’re also introduced to the wider immigrant community, each struggling with their own frustrations and turmoil. By demonstrating the harsh and at times inhumane treatment and hostility they receive, she humanises the immigrant experience. But her true talent lies in the way she moves swiftly from the most serious of situations to light-hearted humour with the greatest of ease, topped off with an all singing and all dancing gospel choir.
Cecilia Noble plays the loud, and bolshie Abeni with such conviction.
Her partnership with the pastor Pra (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith) evokes the
most laughter as they banter and fight their way through every scene. Sharon
Duncan-Brewster (Eastenders) plays the gentle Grace whose compassion for
her brother is heart-wrenching. Whilst Karl Collins and Jimmy Akingbola
go head to head as Justice’s lawyer and enforcement officer, both black
but on opposite sides of the argument.
Agbaje’s play offers a conflicting insight into this most controversial
issue. She sets compassion against practicality, brother against sister,
and chance against choice. In doing so, she proves that the issue of
immigration is indeed not black and white.
The Not Black and White series continues at the Tricycle until 19th December.
In Conversation With: Dharmesh
Patel
Dharmesh
Patel is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ensemble, who
will be performing with them until 2011. Amardeep
Sohi catches up
with him to discuss working with the RSC, Asian Theatre and the dark
side!
Amardeep: How are you enjoying your time with the RSC?
Dharmesh: I’m loving it to be honest. I’ve never done any Shakespeare except for when I was at university. So for me it’s like going back to university and re-learning a new kind of art form. Shakespeare is such a different form of theatre; it’s like learning a new language so you have to go back to the very beginning. The great thing about the RSC is you’re working with the best in the business, so in that sense it’s like a dream job. And especially as it lasts for two and a half years, because as an actor you’re never really sure of where your next job is or how long it’s going to be so, in that sense, it’s a real treat.
AS: You’ve already answered my next question…
DP: What was the next question?
AS: What initially drew you to being part of the ensemble and what are you hoping to take away from it?
DP: In terms of being part of an ensemble, I think it’s something British theatre lacks, you know. There’s not enough of it. For every show an actor does, there’s a different cast every time so you never really get to know the people. Michael Boyd has got 44 people who get on very well and we’ve created such a bond and you take that onto stage. If that connection is there before you’ve even started your rehearsal, then it can only get better.
AS: And what was it like working with Michael Boyd in As You Like It?
DP: Do you know what Amardeep, it’s really weird because there’s a real myth around the RSC and as a performer when you hear the name of the RSC, it’s a special thing. There’s also myth around Michael Boyd that he could be scary because the man is a genius, so you 'up' your game as much as you can. But on meeting him, it’s kind of the opposite of what you thought. He’s a beautiful man, he’s very caring. He makes sure you’re ok in the rehearsal room and no matter how big or small your part is; he treats everyone the same. So in that respect it’s very relaxed in his rehearsal rooms.
AS: Which Shakespearean lead would you like to play and why?
DP: Ok, I’m a bit obsessed with love, love and hate. I’m really obsessed with it as a performer, so obviously Romeo without a doubt. I’ve wanted to play him since I was a kid and it was one of the first plays we ever looked at. And Mercutio as well, I’ve always loved the darker side of Mercutio.
AS: How did you get into acting?
DP: I never actually went to drama school. I went to university to study drama and become a drama teacher. I did a course in physical theatre straight after. A friend of mine was doing it and I thought why not. I think that’s when I began to really love performing, being on stage, devising, that was where it really came about. And after that I got an agent. I’ve been really quite lucky because I’ve just had job after job. I suppose I got into it more by luck than by choice if that makes sense. Although, I feel like a fraud sometimes because I never went to drama school. It’s nice to fall into something and love what you do.
AS: What has been your most memorable part to date?
DP: I did a show called Happily Married before I came to the RSC which was devised by a Spanish actress called Susanna Alctund. I just got to play who I love to play, a mad character called Ron who’s obsessed with antique books. He will do anything for his books. It’s about his marriage to Mariam who dreams of being a triangle soloist in some band or orchestra. That was at Freedom Studios and that was an incredible part because I got to go a little bit mad and a little bit wacky.
AS: How did you get involved with Freedom Studios?
DP: Again, when I was doing this physical theatre course, Madani Younis(award-winning Artistic Director of Freedom Studios), came along to give us a workshop. He wanted to do some research and development on one of his scripts. He came to see us in Liverpool and we helped him out and off the back of that we just stayed in touch. I did a show for him called Silent Cry and off the back of that did some writing. Madani is my mentor and if I’ve got any trouble or gripes, I just go to him and speak to him. What he does is incredible; it’s what I want to do. He has taken Asian theatre and turned it on it’s head. Rather than calling it Asian theatre he just wants to do good work. I suppose Asian theatre in Britain is lacking, it’s not as inventive as it used to be. Madani brings that spark back for Asian actors. He teaches them a very different way of working. So hats off to Freedom!
AS: You mentioned that you do a bit of writing…
DP: I do yeah.
AS: Are you working on anything at the moment?
DP: There’s a script for a 50 minute play which I am trying to turn into a film, so there are a few ideas I’m throwing around. I’m very much into the dark side of life. The play that I wrote for Waves was about a cannibal who is obsessed with cooking. He gets obsessed with this girl and he follows her home and watches her through a window. In the end he eats his mentor, who teaches him how to cook. It’s all recorded on a video diary which he sends back to his mum every week or month. He’s a very odd character. I love this sadistic world. I know I shouldn’t be saying that.
AS: You’re very dark!
DP: It’s what I love and it’s what Asian theatre doesn’t offer me. As a performer you push yourself to every limit you have possibly got. You want to be tested as an actor, you want to be pushed. You want to work with great actors, with great directors. If you’re in a play about arranged marriage, you’re not going to be tested on that. For me, the dark side is a great side.
AS: What advice would you give to someone starting out as an actor?
DP: If there’s one piece of advice I would give to anyone is to do TIE, which is Theatre In Education. If you can crack that as your first job, I think it gives you a better understanding of the theatre.
AS: Who has been your biggest inspiration?
DP: Madani is one of those, he has definitely pushed me in the direction of the work I want to do and how I want to approach it. Paul Hunter is another one. I think everyone should work with Paul because he brings out an amazing side in everyone. I’ve also got really weird sort of inspirations like Genghis Khan. I know that’s an odd one but I love the idea of one man who has so much belief, that he trudges on and does what he needs to do in order to get where he wants to be. I don’t like him because he was crazy, I like him for his ambition and sheer drive.
AS: If you could act alongside any actor past or present, who would it be?
DP: I don’t know, it’s a tough one. Of course De Niro, only because I grew up with him and I think I’m better than De Niro…only kidding! As a kid, he was one of those actors who made you go “wow”. He’s the gangster you always wanted to be. He had a dark side and really brought out a character.
AS: You seem to be obsessed with the dark side?
DP: I am, but only because I think every human being holds back on the sort of dark side of their life. I think we’re too embarrassed to show our darkest, inner feelings to our partners and close friends. And sometimes I think human beings think on such a different plane, they sometimes think of the worst things, some even do the worst things. I’m obsessed with what makes them do it. I’m obsessed with how we think as humans. I’m not very method in my acting but I love reading autobiographies. I love knowing where that person is coming from. The likes of Ghandi, Mandela, Malcolm X for example, they’re all powerful people, but it’s what they were thinking about that’s more interesting than what they achieved. It’s how you get to that place in the first instance is what I’m obsessed with. I’m not weird; I just want to point that out!
AS: I’ll make a note of that!
Dharmesh will be playing the lead role in the Young People's version of Hamlet, directed by the award winning Tarell Alvin McCraney. The play will tour schools in London next year, followed by a run at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
REVIEW: Punk Rock
Lyric Theatre
by Amardeep Sohi
Stepping into a sixth form isn’t usually something many people would
opt for on a night out but in his new play Simon Stephens puts teenage
angst into the spotlight with dramatic results. Punk Rock is a play
which delves into the lives of a group of sixth formers in a private
school in Stockport. With bullying, teasing, sex and the pressure to
succeed at the forefront, the play draws you into their world and leaves
you utterly gripped.
The Lyric’s main house is transformed into a sixth form library with grand and austere bookcases crowding the cast. We meet the self-harming Lilly, a new starter from Cambridge who toys with the boys, William who thinks he is “the best person in this town” and befriends her and Chadwick the bullied young boy who predicts the apocalypse.
What begins as mindless and hyperactive chatter descends into darkness as the pressurised world which they inhabit is revealed with severe consequences.
Moving from harmless teenage banter to intense scenes reminiscent of a thriller is Stephen’s great coup and this young cast do great justice to his play. Tom Sturridge plays the endearing yet energetic William with intelligence and he commands the audience, whilst Jessica Raine offers a credible Lilly.
With no interval and only bursts of punk rock to separate each scene, there really is nowhere to escape as this teenage drama unfolds and quite rightly so. It’s an explosive debut for the new artistic director at the Lyric and hopefully a sign of things to come.
Punk Rock runs at the Lyric Hammersmith until 26th September
REVIEW: Julius Caesar
Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Political upheaval, backstabbing and ruthless ambition appear to be the order
of the day. We’re not talking about Gordon Brown’s political strife but
Shakespeare’s Caesar currently playing in repertoire in Stratford-upon-Avon..
The play is an account of Julius Caesar’s infamous demise and in her directorial
debut with the RSC, Lucy Bailey’s production is a bloody affair. The play
opens with a brutal fight between two men dressed in loin cloths. Reminiscent
of animal savagery; it is a sign of things to come.
Greg Hicks plays the ill-fated Caesar in this production. Having reached the peak of his political career, he is on the brink of accepting a crown. Cassius and Brutus conspire to assassinate him to keep the Roman Republic in tact. Caesar’s demise is prophesised by his wife Calphurnia (Noma Dumezweni) but he dismisses her claims and he is subsequently killed. What ensues is a vicious and bloody war between the conspirators and Caesar’s successors, led by Marc Anthony.
The assassination is a scene in which each vulture takes his turn to strike a defenceless Caesar, resulting in a blood splattered and gruesome stage.
Bailey however, adds a new dimension to this production as she merges both stage and screen. She employs giant screens to project images of the Senate House and the jeering crowds who are affected by the political unrest. By doing so, she not only creates a production which is as grand as the historical setting of the play, but she creates a visually challenging stage for the audience which detracts from the gore.
The cast consists of the RSC ensemble cast who are committed to the company until 2011. Greg Hicks is a credible Caesar but it is Darrell D’ Silva’s performance as the loyal Mark Anthony which is by far the most memorable. Noma Dumezweni and Hannah Young play Calphurnia and Portia respectively. Both women enact their heartfelt pleas to their husbands with emphatic sincerity. But this is a testosterone fuelled arena, and for the most part we witness brutal butchering as the two sides go to war in this political bloodbath.
by Amardeep Sohi
The play runs until 2nd October 2009.
For ticket information visit www.rsc.org.uk
REVIEW: The Black Album
Cottesloe Theatre, NT
By Amardeep Sohi
Burning books, student protests, and Islamic fundamentalism come to the National Theatre’s stage this summer in the dramatisation of Hanif Kureishi’s novel The Black Album.
Set in the 1980s the play follows Shahid, a young Muslim man who embarks on a university degree during a period of political unrest; Salman Rushdie has been issued a fatwa for The Satanic Verses and Islamic fundamentalism has taken root in Britain.
Unfortunately Kureishi’s much anticipated dramatisation falls short in its ambitions and doesn’t quite deliver.
As images from 1980s Britain are transposed onto the drab walls of a student room to a backdrop of 80s tracks you can’t help but feel nostalgic. However, the plot is slow and struggles to draw in the audience.
Jonathan Bonnici plays the much confused Shahid, who on arriving at university meets Riaz (Alexander Andreou) the leader of a group of Muslim students determined to fight against liberalism.
Flitting between the group and the enclave of his lecturer Deedee Osgood (Tanya Franks), the height of his involvement is symbolised by a change into Islamic attire and observing the group’s prayer session. He merely floats in and out of the two arenas with little effect and in this respect the play doesn’t really delve into this explosive issue.
The comedy which sits alongside the play’s political theme is lacking in originality. The most comic value is derived from an aubergine flavoured pakora bearing a sign from God and Strapper, (Glyn Pritchard) the racist drug dealer who jumps around on stage with Shahid’s brother, Chilli (Robert Mountford).
Kureishi’s partnership with Tara Arts has regrettably created a play which falls short in its attempt to enlighten a post 7/7 society on Islamic fundamentalism. Instead, it offers a lightly spiced slice of 80’s culture.
The play runs at the National Theatre until 7th October followed by a national tour.