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Post by joem on Sept 23, 2018 1:08:13 GMT
Charming and thought-provoking family drama centred around the sixty-year plus relationship between an Indian couple Jyoti (Anjana Vasan) and Rasik (Shubham Saraf) going through an arranged marriage, followed by their attempts to farm near Nairobi whilst the Mau-Mau uprising is taking place, their subsequent move to UK, the travails of bringing up a family and working in racist Britain (they have to leave Kenya as they are not wanted there as independence approaches) and so on as you would expect from a family saga.
Impressive performances from the two leads who have a real rapport with each other. A minor grouse, David (Martins Imghanbe), the Kenyan character, is supposed to be over eighty in the final scene but doesn't look a day older than he was sixty years before. Little bit of make-up please?
This is absorbing epic theatre; whilst there are a few props, it is staged in the round, mostly on a bare stage with only some help from music and visuals, and yet the cast of six keeps the audience engrossed for over three hours. Chapeau to playwright Vinay Patel, hope to see much more.
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Post by showgirl on Sept 23, 2018 5:05:43 GMT
Encouraging to read another positive review as I booked a while back on the strength of the first few but some of those I've read since have said this dragged or that the format was a little too hackneyed. Glad I chose a matinee in view of the long running time.
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Post by showgirl on Sept 28, 2018 14:17:28 GMT
Three days after seeing the first act only, I'm still trying to overcome my disappointment and disgust. How does the writer expect the audience to believe that an Indian woman, in the 1950's, embarking on an arranged marriage, would swear liberally and drink alcohol? Neither convincing nor pleasant from the outset: if I want to hear people effing and blinding, I can walk down my local high street and do so at no cost.
Then there was the third character to be introduced, David, who used the most ludicrously pompous and sententious language - again neither plausible nor what I want to hear. What with the development and dialogue proving so unrealistic within a matter of minutes, I cut my losses and beat a hasty retreat. At least I was able to salvage the rest of the afternoon by seeing a film which didn't insult the intelligence of the audience.
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Post by zahidf on Oct 15, 2018 21:11:57 GMT
I thought this was ace! Funny and charming, the whole 3 hours flew by
I understand the first scene was based on how the writers grand parent met, swearing and alcohol based on what he was told. I'm not sure how that can be unrealistic...
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