Mán Melá Theatre Company - Our World - Theatre

Mán Melá Theatre Company
celebrating the British Asian experience

Our World
Theatre - Natak British Asian Theatre

dominic's review
Exile - Forty Years in the West Midlands

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company
present

The Ramayana
A new version
by Peter Oswald

Fri 20 Oct - Sat 11 Nov 2000
Director: Indhu Rubasingham
Designer: Ultz

The Ramayana adapted by Peter Oswald and directed by Indhu Rubasingham is an ideal play for celebrating the talents of a multi-cultural cast.

On press night I see Michael Billington here ... David Edgar there ... and a host of local dignitaries and members of the Asian community.

What's this?
- Indian sweets to sample at the box office
- bhangra dancers in the foyer?

The place is buzzing with excitement!

Opening on the main stage a week before Diwali, with its impressive audience development programme, this project can be seen as the City making amends for its lack of Birmingham Asian playwrights, theatre professionals or a single funded theatre company.

The play comes alive with the entrance of Surpanakha (Charlotte Bicknell) who embraces the epic style of the piece. There is much to be savoured.

The bridge-making scene transformed by milk crates - representing the bridge to Lanka - I found myself thinking how pertinent this story is - pregnant with the mythology of Pardes (away from home), Desh nikala (Banishment from the homeland), and Hijrit (migration).

Concepts embedded in the British-Asian experience.

But unlike the Ramayana there is no "return", for us.

I look for the representation of this experience and find it missing.

Rama and Sita - our uncles and aunts' lives have had more drama in their lives.

Lakshman - like you, my grandfather and his generation who came here forty years ago struggled and fought for their families.

Hunuman and the monkeys dancing bhangra on the stage and playing with the audience, best represent the second and third generation who straddle both cultures with ease.

Over forty years the Asians of Birmingham have a thousand tales to tell. Stories that can entertain, disturb and amaze themselves and a wider audience.

Whilst the current Rep was being built in the 1970's, the goings-on on the Soho Road (in Handsworth) and life here was being sung in Panjabi and celebrated all over Britain and the Diaspora.

On November 30th "Belonging" opens at the Rep - a play by Birmingham Irish playwright and Peggy Ramsey award winner, Kaitie O'Reilly.

A sign that the Door has been left ajar…?

___________________________________

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Last updated: 8 November 2000 - C. Goffin

Mán Melá Theatre Company celebrating the British Asian experience
Our World Theatre - Natak British Asian Theatre
dominic's review Exile - Forty Years in the West Midlands
	Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company present The Ramayana A new version by Peter Oswald Fri 20 Oct - Sat 11 Nov 2000 Director: Indhu Rubasingham Designer: Ultz
The Ramayana adapted by Peter Oswald and directed by Indhu Rubasingham is an ideal play for celebrating the talents of a multi-cultural cast. On press night I see Michael Billington here ... David Edgar there ... and a host of local dignitaries and members of the Asian community. What's this? - Indian sweets to sample at the box office - bhangra dancers in the foyer? The place is buzzing with excitement! Opening on the main stage a week before Diwali, with its impressive audience development programme, this project can be seen as the City making amends for its lack of Birmingham Asian playwrights, theatre professionals or a single funded theatre company. The play comes alive with the entrance of Surpanakha (Charlotte Bicknell) who embraces the epic style of the piece. There is much to be savoured. The bridge-making scene transformed by milk crates - representing the bridge to Lanka - I found myself thinking how pertinent this story is - pregnant with the mythology of Pardes (away from home), Desh nikala (Banishment from the homeland), and Hijrit (migration). Concepts embedded in the British-Asian experience. But unlike the Ramayana there is no "return", for us. I look for the representation of this experience and find it missing. Rama and Sita - our uncles and aunts' lives have had more drama in their lives. Lakshman - like you, my grandfather and his generation who came here forty years ago struggled and fought for their families. Hunuman and the monkeys dancing bhangra on the stage and playing with the audience, best represent the second and third generation who straddle both cultures with ease. Over forty years the Asians of Birmingham have a thousand tales to tell. Stories that can entertain, disturb and amaze themselves and a wider audience. Whilst the current Rep was being built in the 1970's, the goings-on on the Soho Road (in Handsworth) and life here was being sung in Panjabi and celebrated all over Britain and the Diaspora. On November 30th "Belonging" opens at the Rep - a play by Birmingham Irish playwright and Peggy Ramsey award winner, Kaitie O'Reilly. A sign that the Door has been left ajar…? ___________________________________
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Last updated: 8 November 2000 - C. Goffin