The Estate, Taj Mahal, A Tupperware of Ashes, A Man for all Seasons, Evening Conversations…

It’s July and we’re in the hottest month so far (according to meteorologists) and there is a lot of ‘hot’ theatre around exploring family, inheritance, and power. Alongside this, South Asian Heritage Month also kicks off on July 18 and runs until August 17 with a theme of Roots to Routes and it’s reflected here…

By Suman Bhuchar

The Estate – Family, inheritance and sibling feelings threaten ascent

THIS highly anticipated, play by Shaan Sahota is described as the hottest ticket in town by those in the know.
It tells the story of an upwardly mobile leader – Angad (played by the BAFTA Award-Winning actor Adeel Akhtar) who emerges as favourite to become the leader of the opposition after scandal forces an unexpected resignation.
Angad could win – he could make history, as long as his two sisters keep their mouths shut about their father’s will.
‘The Estate’ focusses on the tension between public and private life and explores, family, power and the lies we tell about ourselves.
Sahota began writing this play in 2019 and it was shortlisted for the Inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwrighting in 2020, leading her to participating in the Tamasha Playwriting Programme 2019-2020.
She worked as a doctor and during Covid wrote ‘Under The Mask’ (2021), an audio drama about Jaskaran, a young doctor working in a ICU ward during the pandemic.
People are calling ‘The Estate’, a debut play (but it’s the second play by Sahota, although she may have begun writing it earlier than ‘Under the Mask’).

Listing
July 9-August 23
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-estate/
Most of the run appears as sold out but you can try Friday Rush tickets

Previously
Under The Mask – https://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/under-the-mask-doctor-playwright-shaan-sahota-on-her-hope-and-horror-covid-ward-drama/

Taj Mahal – A Sitar Opera about the world’s most romantic building

GRANGE PARK OPERA in, Surrey is the setting for this world premiere.
‘Taj Mahal’ is composed by virtuoso sitar player, Nishat Khan.
It’s an inspired theatre idea – as most operas tend to be pieces by western composers that audiences are familiar with, and this promises to be a total treat for new and seasoned fans of opera.
Obviously, it will set you back a few bob, but it’s a total treat for a summer’s day, to go to the venue enjoy the performance, as well as the surroundings.
Passion, rivalry and murder feature in this opera, sung in English with English surtitles, telling the story of the Taj Mahal, created as a monument to love, and now a focus for a battle to the throne.
The show has a cast of 15 performers and is directed by Stephen Medcalf, and performed by The Gascoigne Orchestra, with movement direction by choreographer-composer-dancer Seeta Patel.
‘Taj Mahal’ is on for two nights on July 10 & 12 .

Listing
July 10 at 5.45pm & July 12 at 5.15pm.
Opera House, Grange Park Opera, West Horsley Place KT24 6AN
https://grangeparkopera.co.uk/whats-on/taj-mahal-2/#dates-tickets

There is a long interval between act 1 & act 2, allowing you to enjoy a pre-booked dinner at their restaurant or bring your own picnic.

A Tupperware of Ashes – Dementia and family repercussions

STAR Meera Syal was nominated for an Olivier Award as Best Actress for her performance as Queenie is this show, written by Tanika Gupta and it was on at the National Theatre last year (see link below).
Loosely inspired by King Lear, Queenie, is a female Michelin starred chef, who is beginning to lose her memory.
Her three children are forced to confront their mother’s frailty and mortality and make choices that affect them all.
Powerful, poignant and funny, ‘A Tupperware of Ashes’ is now available on NT at Home, a paying streaming service that enables you to see theatre at home on your screen and when it is convenient for you.
Who knows once you’ve seen this play, it may inspire you to explore the entire National Theatre collection.

Listing
Available from July 8 (online)
https://www.ntathome.com/

Previously
https://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/a-tupperware-of-ashes-a-queen-lear-worthy-of-its-comparisons/

Evening Conversations – Bradford Residency for actor-writer

ACCLAIMED theatre maker and actor, Sudha Bhuchar has been named Artist-in-Residence at Theatre in The Mill, the University of Bradford’s arts organisation.
Sudha Bhuchar, who recently appeared in BBC drama ‘Virdee’, will host masterclasses with district residents and stage performances of her solo show, ‘Evening Conversations’, as part of her residency, which helps mark Bradford’s UK City of Culture celebrations.
She will also create a series of monologues and character studies inspired by local testimonies.
These will premiere as part of Theatre in The Mill’s New Works Festival in November 2025.

Listings

July 25 7.30pm
Ground Floor Stalls, Loading Bay Arts Centre, 1 Duke Street, Bradford, BD1 3QR
https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/evening-conversations-loading-bay/

July 28 7.30pm The Beacon
The Beacon, Cliffe Castle Park, The Beacon, Cliffe Castle Park, Spring Gardens, Keighley, Bradford BD20 6LH
https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/evening-conversations-the-beacon/

A Man for All Seasons – Timeless classic continues to resonate

ROBERT BOLT (1924-1995) wrote this play as an exploration of power and moral conscience, based on the life of 16th century Lord Chancellor of England, Sir Thomas More – who ran into opposition with the then monarch.
King Henry VIII (1491-1547) wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon and marry Ann Boleyn (wife no 2) but divorce was not permitted at this time and Moore was executed for sticking to his principals. Henry’s determination to produce a male heir to the throne led to him to a seek a second marriage against the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church.
The play has a great cast with Martin Shaw as the lead, and Gary Wilmot as ‘The Common Man’ and Asif Khan as Signor Chapuys, an ambassador to England and defender of Catherine.

Listings

Theatre Royal Brighton
July 22-26
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/a-man-for-all-seasons/theatre-royal-brighton/

Grand Opera House York
July 29-August 2
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/a-man-for-all-seasons/grand-opera-house-york/

The Next Act – Podcast spotlight on new playwrights

LISTEN to the next generation of emerging playwrights in this podcast series.
Each episode centres on a conversation with a single playwright, examining their creative process alongside the political, personal, and artistic forces that inform their work.
The series features conversations with Asma Dar, Iman Qureshi, Waleed Akhtar, Mohammad Zain-Dada, Sonali Bhattacharyya, Naylah Ahmed, Neil D’Souza and Satinder Chohan. There is a free launch event on July 8 – see details below.

Listing
QMUL ArtsOne
Mile End Road, London, E1 4PA July 8 4pm- 6pm
https://www.outsavvy.com/event/28333/the-next-act-the-future-of-british-south-asian-theatre

The podcasts can be accessed on https://thenextact.co.uk/
All episodes are available to stream for free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Retracing Our Footsteps – From South London to the Southbank

AS PART of South Asian Heritage Month, ‘Retracing Our Footsteps’ celebrates the tenure of Tara Arts’ founder, Jatinder Verma, through excerpts of Tara’s prominent works, a visit to the National Theatre Archive, and the celebration of Professor Jerri Daboo’s book about this pioneering legacy.
The evening at Tara Theatre will focus on its theatre journey from grassroots activism to the mainstream stages and will feature readings and Q&A with invited guests. This is curated by Bhuchar Boulevard as part of its commitment to accelerate the development of a South Asian Theatre performance archive.

Listings

July 28 – National Theatre Archive Unveiled Tour – for further details, please see Bhuchar Boulevard – www.bhucharboulevard.com

July 30 – Live free event 6.30pm Tara Theatre, 356 Garratt Ln, London SW18 4ES
https://taratheatre.com/whats-on/retracing-our-footsteps/