Sonal Moore captures her family’s migration from India to Australia in this play about family and sacrifice.
The play is the story of parents, Rushi (Taufeeq Ahmed Sheikh) and Vasant (Reema Gillani), as they move from Bombay (Mumbai), India, in the late 1950s and become one of the first Gujarati Indian families in Australia. The story takes us through the culture shock, outdoor dunnies, lack of Indian foods and what it means for migrant families to grow up in Australia. Sonal (Shabnam Tavakol) tells the story of her parents’ journey to her two daughters, Radhika (Karina Bracken) and EV (Madhullikaa Singh). This autobiographical, and in places, verbatim theatre, takes the audience on a journey showing the audience how a young Indian family manages to make Australia home.
Sonal (Shabnam Tavakol) is whimsical as both daughter and mother as she makes her way through her parents’ story, trying to make sense of herself as an Indian Australian. (Taufeeq Ahmed Sheikh) is highly engaging as Rushi, the father of the family, as he pleads time and again for his wife to be willing to move house for his job, jumping between Melbourne and Sydney multiple times. Reema Gillani warmly takes on the role of Vasant, Rushi’s wife who struggles as she learns how to be a mother, cook and take responsibility for the house on her own for the first time without the large support she had in India. Karina Braken as Radhika, the eldest of Sonal’s daughters, plays the role with great empathy. Rounding out the cast is Madhullikaa Singh, who joyfully plays EV, Sonal’s youngest daughter, a free spirit, eager to learn about her family’s history.
Director Neel Banerjee, makes good use of a minimal set in KTX’s traverse theatre. He is able to capture the changing times effectively for both sides of the audience through 5 simple boxes and has ensured the emotional impact is maintained.
Whether or not you come from a migrant family, this play is, at its core, a story about the compromises we make for the people we love, told with warmth and authenticity, which is something we can all enjoy.
Comments