Over Ambitious An Adventure Fails to Live Up to Early Promise

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Penny Flood is disappointed by Vinay Patel's new play at the Bush Theatre

 

I’m sorry to say that Vinay Patel’s ambitious story of the lives of his grandparents is very disappointing. True, it covers a lot of ground taking in love, loss, politics, life and death and more, but it tries to cram in so much so that none of the issues it raises are properly explored. And at just over three hours it's far too long.

Although it starts out promisingly enough.

This is where we meet feisty, flirty, potty-mouthed Jyoti (Anjana Vasan) who has to pick a husband from the five men her father has selected for her. Last one to come for his audition is Rasik (Shubham Sharaf). He’s older than Jyoti but not as quick witted. He's also very inexperienced in the ways of women.

Of course he falls in love with her, she’s gorgeous. Whether she falls in love with him is a moot point, but she approves of him and chooses him but not before we're treated to a gorgeous scene as they dance around each other, flirting, challenging, giving, taking all with a crackling dialogue. Jyoti commands Rasik to pay her a compliment. Falling into one of the many traps she’ll set him he says: “Jyoti, you’re a good looking woman”. “Pfft, come on that’s not a compliment," she retorts, “That’s an objective statement of fact”. Which she qualifies by telling him she’s top drawer fucking gorgeous.

That's in 1954 and the action carries on to the present day.

Once married they set off on their adventure starting in Kenya bang in the middle of the Mau Mau uprising where they meet the enigmatic terrorist David (Martins Imhangbe) whose family land has been ex-appropriated by the British.

From there it’s to England where they raise a daughter, Sohal (Aysha Kala) while fighting poverty and prejudice as Jyoti tries to unionise the company she works for.

Sadly, it never lives up to the early promise and after a couple of hours it begins to drag.

There's no doubting the love and respect Patel has for his grandparent, and their stories deserve to be told, but this breathless gallop though history doesn't do them justice. There are actually three stories here: the love between his grandparents; life in Kenya at the time of the Mau Mau and raising a family against a background of unfairness and racism in Britain, each one meaty enough to make a great play.

It would also make a terrific six part television series.

An Adventure continues until 20 October with evening performances from 7pm and matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays 1.30pm. The play lasts three hours 15 minutes with two intervals.

There isa Post-Show Q&A on Thursday 20 September with a chance to ask cast and creatives about the creation and performance of An Adventure after the show. Free to ticket holders on the night.

There is a Post-Show Panel on Thursday 27 September asking who tells your story? A panel event with creatives. Free to ticket holders on the night.

Theatre Dialogue is on Wednesdcayh 3 October at 7.30pm. Theatre Dialogue is like a book group for theatre: you see the show in advance, then come and chat about it with other audience members in the Attic. Free to attend.

ACCESS DETAILS
Captioned performance
Thursday 27 September, 7.00pm

Audio described performance
Saturday 29 September, 1.30pm

Find out more and book tickets here.

September 14, 2018