Indian ink; Bengal Tiger at The Baghdad Zoo; Before The Millennium, Mountain and Seas & more

It’s the final month of 2025 and there is a lot of interesting and varied theatre – some revivals, some we have covered elsewhere and a fitting finale to one of England’s great playwrights…

By Suman Bhuchar

Indian Ink – Felicity Kendal in Stoppard play

A LOT OF PEOPLE were looking forward to ‘Indian Ink’, the revival by Hampstead Theatre of writer, Tom Stoppard’s play, which was last performed in 1995 at the Aldwych Theatre, London.
As his death was announced on November 29, this work becomes yet more poignant.
‘Indian Ink’ is the story of a 1930s British woman poet – Flora Crewe who goes to India and meets painter Nirad Das and something happens.
Cut to the 1980s when an American is writing a biography of Crewe and uncovers a painting of her in the nude and he wants to know what happened.
The show features a cast of 13 actors, including Felicity Kendal who originally played the part of Flora Crewe in 1995 but now plays her sister, Mrs Swan, an older person. Gavi Singh Chera plays the part of the painter Nirad Das.
‘Indian Ink’ is described as “an evocative meditation on art and love, exploring how creativity can bridge even the most profound cultural barriers” and is directed by Jonathan Kent.

The show runs from December 3 to January 31, 2026.
‘Indian ink’ by Tom Stoppard, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3EU 
https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2025/indian-ink/

Bengal Tiger at The Baghdad Zoo – Iraq war drama

THE YOUNG VIC theatre brings audiences the European premiere of Rajiv Joseph’s dark comedy about the absurdity of war.
Set in Iraq after Saddam Hussein has been toppled, two American marines, Tom and Kev find their lives changed when they encounter a Bengal Tiger at Baghdad Zoo.
The solders are sent to guard the tiger but then Tom teases the big cat and the tiger bites his hand off, so setting off a chain of events, where the story explores the futility of war, spirituality, power, arrogance and forgiveness. Surreal and profound.
‘Bengal Tiger at Baghdad Zoo’ stars David Threlfall (‘Shameless’) and Arinzé Kene (‘Misty’) and is directed by Omar Elerian. Joseph is one of the US’ best-known playwrights with a string of credits to his name and is well-known in the UK for his ‘Guards at the Taj‘, which takes audiences back to 17th century Mughal India – and has come to UK stages more than once. STOP PRESS: The Young Vic announced that because Threlfall is currently ill, “Kathryn Hunter has joined the company of ‘Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo‘ and will be performing the role of the Tiger until further notice.”

The show opens on December 4, 2025 and runs to January 31, 2026.

‘Bengal Tiger at Baghdad Zoo’, The Young Vic Theatre, 66, The Cut, London SE1 8LZ
https://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/bengal-tiger-the-baghdad-zoo

Before the Millennium – Young women dream

THE WRITER Karim Khan is establishing himself as one of the rising forces in theatre, and his new play, ‘Before the Millennium’ will have its world premiere at the Old Fire Station, Oxford this December.
As we are in the final month of 2025 and looking forward to the Yuletide Season, let’s imagine we are harking back to the final days of 1999 and peek into the life of Pakistani migrants Zoya and Iqra, who work side by side in the Woolworth’s Oxford Cowley branch – as they await the 21st century.
At their Christmas staff party, the pair encounter a mysterious new girl – Faiza – who threatens to alter everything they thought they knew about their friendship and their future.
‘Before the Millennium’ is directed by Adam Karim who won the Eastern Eye Best Director award 2025 for his production of ‘Guards at the Taj’ at the Orange Tree Theatre.
Karim Khan wrote the multi-award winning, ‘Brown Boys Swim’ which has been optioned by influential American film company, A24.

This show runs from December 1-21 2025.

‘Before the Millennium’ by Karim Khan, The Fire Station Oxford, Old Fire Station, 40 George Street, Oxford UK OX1 2A

https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/before-the-millennium

Mountains and Seas: Song of Today…

POETRY, live painting, AI animation, film, dance and live music blend to create a theatrical experience which strikes at the heart of human experience, according to the blurb about this production.
Performance artist Xie Rong, writer and actor Daniel York Loh, and composer and musician Beibei Wang have created an interdisciplinary new show.
It was commissioned and co-produced by Kakilang, an arts organisation that presents world-class interdisciplinary art from a wide spectrum of Southeast and East Asian voices
‘Mountains and Seas – Song of Today 山海 · 今日之歌‘  is inspired by the seminal 4th-century BCE text, the classic of ‘Mountains and Seas’, reimagined directly from its mythological roots into something contemporary and urgent – a poetic, fiercely political script exploring climate crisis, activism and rising global fascism.

This show runs (December 2)-6.

‘Mountain of Mountains and Seas: Songs of Today’ by Xie Rong, writer and actor Daniel York Loh (Kakilang) – Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, 1, Clapham Common Northside, London SW4 0QW

https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/mountains-and-seas/

 
Built by Sound – Asian daytimers for all

WRITTEN by Nikesh Shukla and directed by Shehani Fernando, this is one of the highlights of Bradford 2025.
A mixed-reality experience exploring how British South Asian communities in the 1970s and 1980s found joy in defiance, in community in music, the show celebrates the resilience and creativity of young people in the city and surroundings.
We spoke to Shukla about ‘Built by Sound’.
You need to wear a headset for up to a hour – you’re advised to arrive 10 minutes before and booking a slot is advisable. Click here for our interview with Shukla.

More on the show in the context of Bradford 2025 and other month closing events here – https://asianculturevulture.com/bradford-2025-built-by-sound-steven-frayne-dynamo-finale-brighter-still/

‘Built by Sound’ (Part of Bradford 2025) by Nikesh Shukla, Shehani Fernando, Provat Rahman (composer) and others, The Loading Bay, 1 Duke Street, Bradford BD1 3QR

https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/built-by-sound

We are the Lions Mr Manager – Jayaben Patel

ONE OF THE ENDURING icons of Asian activism is the story of Jayaben Desai, the diminutive woman and inspirational strike leader who led the Great Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike of 1976-8 to fight for workers’ rights.
‘We are the Lions Mr Manager’ tells this remarkable story – and acv interviewed actor, Rukmini Sircar who shared some insights into Desai, whom she is currently portraying on stage. See our interview below and there are a last few shows now, as it ends on Saturday (December 6).

Our interview – https://asianculturevulture.com/we-are-the-lions-mr-manager-jayaben-desai-play-the-other-iron-woman/

See for venues in Scotland only now – https://www.townsendproductions.org.uk/shows/we-are-the-lions-mr-manger/