The multi-award winning play is set in 1971 in the build-up of the Indo-Pakistani War and explores the rending social and generational tensions within the Khan family. Khan Din himself takes the role of George Khan who is determined to give his children a strict Muslim upbringing against the unforgiving backdrop of 1970s Salford. Household tension reaches breaking point as their long-suffering English mother, Ella, gets caught in the cross fire – her loyalties divided between her marriage and the free will of her children. The crisis comes when Ella learns that George has arranged for their sons Abdul (Amit Shah, pictured) and Tariq (Ashley Kumar) to marry without consulting the boys or her. In the ensuing row, George beats Ella viciously, and the family seems about to disintegrate.
The drama begins with George in a state of high agitation, having discovered that his youngest boy, 13-year-old Sajit is uncircumcised. The overtly comic dilemma surrounds Sajit’s foreskin “tickle-tackle” which has somehow remained intact despite the fact that he is now an adolescent.
A truly hilarious play, one with a powerful storyline and a projection of how the thinking and attitudes, particularly those of earlier Pakistani and generations of south Asian descent have evolved, or are evolving with time.
East is East is coming to the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham between 13-17 January. Ticket prices £10-£25. For more information visit http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-alexandra-theatre-birmingham/
