This month sees shows on feminism and fun, while family musicals and festivals showcasing writers of global majority… There is much to see and enjoy…
By Suman Bhuchar
The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs – Choir group looks to strike a high note
WE ARE DELIGHTED that writer, Iman Qureshi’s heart-warming show, ‘The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs’ is having a revival at the Kiln Theatre.
Directed by Hannah Hauer-King, it features a cast of eight actors and is a musical comedy.
The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs – the only lesbian choir in the country – are trying to win their place on the Pride mainstage.
In a run-down church hall with an OWL (Older, Wiser Lesbian) at the helm, the rag tag choir navigate love, loss, and trying to agree on song choices.
But despite their best intentions, they find that harmony comes at a price.
Packed with laugh out loud moments and lots of lesbian drama, this uplifting show returns following its sold-out premiere at Soho Theatre in 2022.
Listings
June 13 – July 12
The Kiln Theatre, 269 Kilburn High Road London NW6 7JR
150 mins including an interval. Do check age guidance
https://kilntheatre.com/whats-on/the-ministry-of-lesbian-affairs/
We reviewed its 2022 production …
https://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/the-ministry-of-lesbian-affairs-a-breath-of-fresh-air-in-theatre-exploring-representation-and-visibility-interview/
Stars: An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey – Looking for that elusive moment
ENJOYABLE and moving, Mojisola Adebayo’s play is about an old woman, Mrs, who goes into outer space to look for her orgasm.
This revival features the original cast with Debra Michaels as Mrs and Bradley Charles as the DJ.
Winner of Best New Play at the Offies 2024, ‘Stars’ is performed with a live DJ and projected animations featuring African folklore, a mythology celebration of women’s bodies, and celebrates Black and Queer empowerment and arousal.
Listings
From June 5-28
Stars – An Afrofuturist Odyssey at Brixton House, 386 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton London SW9 8GL.
Age guidance is 14+
https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/shows/stars/
ACV saw the saw at the ICA in 2023…
https://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/stars-an-afrofuturist-space-odyssey-world-premiere-of-play-exploring-sex-gender-and-feminist-history-presented-as-a-concept-album-on-stage/
Brown Girls Do it Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come – No Taboos
POPPY JAY and RUBINA PABANI are two creatives who presented a podcast called ‘Brown Girls Do It Too’, which began life on the BBC Asian Network in 2019 where they talked about sex, along with a third presenter, Roya Eslami. (The Podcast is still available on BBC Sounds).
They were approached by a producer of the network for the show and the podcast became a taboo breaking show where Asian women discussed, sex, relationships, masturbation, boyfriends, loneliness, icons, body hair and everything else.
Presented with humour, it evolved into a stage production called: ‘Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come’ in 2022 with Poppy & Rubina (Roya left after the first series) performing live on a set which is a bedroom – discussing sex, racism, boyfriends, drugs; no subject is off limits. It is co-directed by Sam Hodges and Aneesha Srinivasan.
The show was so successful, it toured and now it’s back with new material at a special preview at Soho Theatre, Dean Street in June, before going to the Edinburgh festival and then will return to Soho Walthamstow. (www.asianculturevulture.com will keep you posted).
Listing
Soho Theatre June 10-14
Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama told me not to Come, Soho Theatre, W1D 3NE
https://sohotheatre.com/events/brown-girls-do-it-too-previews
BBC Podcast – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p08k5cp0
Come Fall in Love – Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan visits
THE UK PREMIERE of the musical based on the 1995 film ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya LeJayenge’ opens this week at the Manchester Opera House.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan made a surprise visit to the rehearsals to get a sneak preview and the cast and creative were stunned to meet the screen icon and ‘Raj’ from the film.
‘Come Fall in Love’ is the second Bollywood Hindi film to be adapted for the stage and performed in English so it’s a momentous milestone in the history of musical theatre.
The first one was ‘Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and a Funeral’ (1998 & 2001) by Tamasha and directed by Kristine Landon-Smith – it was based on the Rajshree Production’s 1994 film, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!’
‘Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical’ is set in the UK and India – and is being directed by Aditya Chopra, the original director of the record-breaking, award-sweeping Hindi-language film.
Listing
From (May 29) – June 21
Come Fall in Love – Opera House Manchester, 3 Quay Street Manchester M3 3HP
More info/tickets: here
A review will be out shortly and see ACV Youtube Shorts and Instagram for short interviews with cast members Jena Pandya (Simian) and Irvine Iqbal (Dad – Baldev).
Biting Point – Outside and on point
WRITER and actor Sid Sagar’s site specific show about road rage is performed in car parks across Yorkshire and the North East continues to tour in June to Pocklington, Selby, Beverley, Bridlington and Redcar.
Featuring Marc Graham as John and Katie Singh as Anita, Biting Point has strong language, alcohol use, racism, a dying parent and the riots of 2024.
There are also passing mentions of 9/11 and grooming gangs.
Listing
Touring now
Age guidance is 14+
https://www.middlechildtheatre.co.uk/biting-point
Elephant – Mixed media show about a girl and her piano
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, this debut show by Anoushka Lucas is another show that should not be missed.
‘Elephant’ is described as part gig, part musical love story.
Lucas who is of Cameroonian and Anglo-Indian heritage wrote this play in a way to make sense of her mixed race heritage and it is also about the interconnectivity of Empire.
It tells the story of Lylah through her relationship with her piano which came though the sky and landed in her council flat. As she pores over the keys and sound floods into all the rooms, Lylah falls in love.
At school, Lylah can’t ask questions – she’s got to be good, good, good or else she’ll lose her scholarship. At home, she can’t ask questions; her cousins say she talks weird, and her parents are distracted. So she asks her piano: Where did you come from? Why are you here? And their shared history tumbles into the light.
Lucas went on to be Winner of Best Writer at The Stage Debut Awards 2023 for this show.
Listing
(From May 22) – June 28
Mernier Chocolate Factory, 4 O’Meara Street, London SE1 1TE
https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/tickets/elephant/
Shubbak Festival – Arab focus
THIS IS A festival which celebrates and offers a window into contemporary Arab Culture across the arts.
Theatre include: ‘Language No Broblem’ (13-14 June & 17 June) and there is also an important discussion with artists who work in the region, called Theatre of Hope. it is is a talk with the festival’s own artistic director and CEO, Alia Alzougbi. As well as recognising the canon of work in recent times, Marina Barham, co founder of Al Harah Theatre in Bethlehem talks about how drama has sustained communities in times of almost relentless crisis and when the boundaries between art, politics and resistance are “illusory”.
The theatre makes work for children, young people and adults and tours villages, and takes its work regionally and internationally too.
Discussing challenges and successes, the talk at Palestine House in Central London is a pay what you can event at Shubbak.
Listing
Theatre of Hope takes place on Wednesday, June 19 at 7pm.
See website for more on Shubbak
Theatre of Hope, Palestine House, 113 High Holborn, London WC1V 6QJ
There is a lot more – https://www.shubbak.co.uk/festival-2025/
And finally…
South Asian Theatre Festival United States – Practitoners gathering
The 20th South Asian Theatre Festival United States takes place from this month for three days at the North Brunswick Performing Arts Centre, New Jersey.
Undertaken by Epic Actors’ Workshop and Choir, which was formed in 1988 and performed at fringe festivals and collaborated with other theatre companies, this is one of the largest meets of its kind. Its original mission was to produce and perform Bangla theatre from Kolkota and connect it to the South Asian diaspora in the US.
In 2006 it staged the first ever South Asian Theatre festival which is a regular feature of their work. The idea is to bring together all community based South Asian theatre activity through a festival. Today the work includes plays in English, Hindi, Bangla. Plays include: ‘Final Solutions’ by Mahesh Dattani, ‘The 12’ (an adaptation of ‘Twelve Angry Men’) and the guest of honour this year is Dr Mohan Agashe.
For more info https://satf.us/
