Three generations: secrets, lies and unapproved relationships all make this a lively affair…
By Suman Bhuchar
IT’S A BIG PICTURE story and brilliant in many ways.
‘Marriage Material’ begins in 1960s pre-Enoch Powell and ends up in the present day.
Based on the novel by Sathnam Sanghera (which incidentally is an adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s 1908 novel, ‘The Old Wives’ Tale’), it is a free adaptation by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti which tells the rich intergenerational story of the Bains family.
This ambitious narrative is overall enjoyable, but it needs more nuance.
The first act introduces us to the Bains family: Mr Bains (Jaz Singh Deol), Mrs Bains (Avita Jay) and two daughters, Kamaljit (Kiran Landa) and Surinder (Anouskha Deshmukh) and their slimy “in name only” uncle, Dhanda (Irfan Shamji) along with the help, Tanvir (Omar Malik).
Directed by Iqbal Khan, ‘Marriage Material’ is a comedy drama. The story deals with their hopes and dreams of the Bains family.
Surinder craves freedom and education, while Kamaljit loves dancing and maybe a more traditional Punjabi family set up as her parents have.
She also has a secret admirer in Tanvir who lives in the shed and comes into his own when he declares his love for Kamaljit.
Some of the humour is a bit on the nose – such as all Asians hate white people type of thing, or comparisons between – Us and Them.
Surinder (Anoushka Desmukh) and (Uncle) Dhanda (Irfan Shamji)
There is a protest scene in the show around the campaign to allow Sikh
bus drivers to wear a turban depicting the reality of the struggle of Asian immigrants’ fight for equality.
The set and costume design by Good Teeth is amazing – the two-storey corner house opens and widens into a corner shop as you enter, followed by the family home behind and the inner world of their front room.
It is very evocative of the 1970s life in the UK, along with the music and costumes.
In the second act, the set becomes a very posh home of Arjan (Deol in a dual role).
Kaur Bhatti’s second half moves the action forward to the next generation of children where the sons Arjan Bains and Ranjit (Uncle’s son) take centre stage and we have moved to today.
The story does deal with cultural identity and belonging and ‘izzat’ but it is on the right side of comedy, even when there is an estrangement, such as Surinder running away with the chocolate bar salesman, Jim (Tommy Belshaw) who dreams of being a poet.
Avita Jay is good, as the mum, but basically we don’t understand what makes her turn against her daughters and push them into arranged marriages.
Subtlety is sacrificed for comedy one-liners, but we do get a happy ending.
ACV rating: **** (out of five)
All pictures: ©HelenMurray
Listing
From today to Saturday (July 2-5)
Birmingham Rep, 6 Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2EP
7.30pm (2.30pm Saturday matinee)
Info/Tickets: Here
