The Buddha of Suburbia adapted for the stage by Emma Rice and Hanif Kureishi. The Barbican Theatre, London until 16 November 2024, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Steve Tanner.

The Buddha of Suburbia adapted for the stage by Emma Rice and Hanif Kureishi. The Barbican Theatre, London until 16 November 2024,

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“Catch it if you can.”

Transfers can be tricky and The Buddha of Suburbia, which Roderick Dungate gave 5 stars to along with a glowing review, has now opened for a run at the Barbican. Sometime en voyage things go wrong which was one reason for going, apart from wanting to see it. I could not find any grounds to dissent from that review which remains a joyous experience with at its centre a terrific performance from Dee Ahluwalia as Karim Amir the seventeen year old South Londoner who copes with the aftermath of his father, who came from India, taking up yoga and leaving his mother for another woman, his mother finding solace of her own, and his own decision to become an actor while coping with his relatives, the men and women in his life and the predatory director of the acting group he joins as well as racial prejudice. It is the late 1970s, the Heath Government has fallen, Callaghan is in Downing Street and all is not well. Karim is British, not an immigrant but the son of one and has an English mother. He was born here. This is her motherland.

The book is celebrated and Rice, with help from Kureshi, has delivered it more or less intact on to the stage with some hilarious and eye popping scenes – that party Karim and a girl he fancies in the company are invited to by their director is one such. It turns out they are the only guests and the only others there are Matthew, their director and his wife. A case of mixed doubles. Orgasms abound, all sorts of sex takes place, and every time someone has an orgasm pistols fire clouds of confetti in the air, while the use made of bananas to show what is going on is quite astounding.

Karim has a girl friend, Jamila, as well as a boyfriend – he is bi sexual – called Charlie and a relation brought over from India who Jamila is made to marry. He tells his story centre stage with a microphone addressing the audience directly, not quite a standup comic, and audience participation is encouraged time and again. Maybe the book had some darker moments, but Kureisha is happy with it and Rice has turned what was splendid on the page into some equally splendid on stage with the help of a versatile and hard working cast. It is rare that something can be called unmissable, but – if you can get a seat – this is one not to miss.

Cast

Dee Ahluwalia – Karim.

Ankur Bahl – Haroon.

Katy Owen – Margaret, Eleanor.

Lucy Thackeray – Eva.

Natasha Jayetileke – Jamila.

Tommy Belshaw – Charlie Shadwell.

Rina Fatania – Jeeta, Tracey. Marlene.

Naveed Khan – Anwar.

Simon Rivers – Changez.

Ewan Wardrop – Matthew Pyke.

Deven Mele – Ensemb.e.

Creatives

Director – Emma Rice.

Set Designer – Rachana Jadhav.

Costume Designer – Vicki Mortimer.

Sound & Video Designer – Simon Baker.

Lighting Designer - Jai Morjaria.

Composer – Nira Chag.

Choreographer & Intimacy Co-ordinator – Etta Murfitt.

Fight Director – Kev McCurdy.