In
The Guardian, Guild member Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti tells Alfred Hickling about her new play, Behud, which addresses some of the issues raised by the response to her previous work, Behzti.
In 2004, Bhatti's decision to set the play [Behzti] in a gurdwara became the main point of contention. The [Birmingham] Rep had taken the unusual step of inviting Sikh community leaders to a private preview to air their concerns, after which they agreed not to oppose the play if the setting was moved to a community centre. Bhatti refused. "I wanted to write a play about religious hypocrisy," she explains, "for which the setting in a gurdwara was non-negotiable. The attempt to establish a dialogue with the Sikh community was well intentioned, but ultimately misinterpreted as an invitation to rewrite my play."
In Behud, the writer pours scorn on what she terms "Enid Blyton Asian plays where everyone loves each other in the end". Is that how Bhatti feels? "I would say it is, yes. Part of me is glad that I had the chance to make [religious leaders] listen to what I had to say."
Behud is at the
Belgrade in Coventry 27 March–10 April, then at the
Soho Theatre in London 13 April–8 May.
Behud is at the Belgrade in Coventry 27 March–10 April, then at the Soho Theatre in London 13 April–8 May.
Behzti and Beyond (the uncertain state of British Theatre)
ReplyDeleteSince Behzti was premiered amid controversy and threat of violence in 2004, there have been very few plays produced with challenging British Asian content.
However, there are many stories that need to be told. The climate of fear that stops the dramatisation of these stories should be challenged.
http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/feature.php/5850