The Silence, Birmingham REP, 23 – 27 April, by Sonali Bhattacharyya, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Ishy Din and Alexandra Wood. On tour next at Home Manchester (30 April – 04 May). 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Dan Auluk.

Photo Credit: Harry Ellleston

The Silence, Birmingham REP, 23 – 27 April, Sonali Bhattacharyya, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Ishy Din and Alexandra Wood, Directed by Iqbal Kahn. On tour next at Home Manchester (30 April – 04 May). Presented by Tara Theatre - From an original co-production by Tara Theatre and Donmar Warehouse. In association with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch.

Based on Kavita Puri’s acclaimed book Partition Voices: Untold British Stories

4✩✩✩✩ Review: Dan Auluk.

“A powerful reminder of how silence can affect us all. Everybody should witness this!”

The Silence is a powerful play about the importance of talking about trauma and capturing untold stories of the past that affect us in the present. A selection of stories adapted from the book Partition Voices by Kavita Puri, inspired by the remarkable and brave personal testimonies of people who lived through the 1947 Indian subcontinent partition and the inter-generational impact of this division of land, heritage, loyalties, unique bonds; into three separate sovereign states: India and West and East Pakistan (now Pakistan and Bangladesh).

Harrowing stories of violence from the past emerge repeatedly and the impact of these with our present; represented with inter-generational performances and monologues are explored to dramatic effect in each story. The PTSD and night terrors are performed with clarity, giving us authentic character driven performances. I found listening to the stories overwhelming tragic, shocking, and emotionally upsetting both in what was narrated, shared and through focused acting and careful staging. These episodic yet inter-connected stories of loss unravel with at times, unexpected emotional ferocity balanced with thoughtful, poignant, and sad reflections in various monologues, leave you to witness performances that are strong and full of character and histories.

The whole performance could potentially be more coherent with either a narrative or visual structure that runs and connects throughout. Scenes and characters appear and disappear; morphing into one another and the rhythm of this is sometimes too quick to settle into, once just unsettled by the emotion on stage. Perhaps, the beginning and end needed clearer storytelling or visual connection. Nevertheless, we have a talented group of actors who clearly deliver strong performances and are believable in every sense. I was especially moved by the stories performed by Asif Khan (Jasvir, Kulvinder, James) and Mamta Kaash (Pooja / Khadija / Noor) in terms of the range of emotions on offer and the embodiment of characters. Capturing a depth of collective lived experience beyond the largely male violence and power; it was the often-unheard voices of the experiences of women and childhood stories which are crucial for the balance of this communal storytelling staging. Heartbreaking, devasting and shocking accounts of violence and the displacement and separation of innocent lives is disturbing and unsettling.

The physicality and the general movement of all the actors on an intimate stage setting was seamless, as were the actors inhabiting various roles to give a sense of the past and present was well crafted and visually striking at times. Congrats to the movement direction (Seeta Patel).

From the minimal staging to the authentic use of sound and subtle music, subdued lighting; the simplicity but effective use of animation and the occasional 3D mapping of projection worked well. However, I am not so sure, as a device for storytelling, the live projections were always effective and in part subtract from the performances we are witnessing. Conceptually, this hints more around investigation but becomes distracting and spectacle, taking away from the intimacy of performance and story told.

There are some occasions when the need for authentic spoken languages helps and gives the piece a wider appeal, and in doing so connects the audience as one, through translation of meaning from what is being said and the objects within the set design.

Powerful, shocking, and upsetting subject matter. An important and valuable piece of theatre. This is the sort of histories that are often kept silence. This silence leading to inter-generational shame, guilt, and trauma.

Congratulations to Iqbal Khan and The Rep for staging current and critical issues at a time when histories of exclusion are being repeated over 75 years later, after partition.

Cast

Alexandra D’Sa - Maya / Daughter

Tia Dutt – Mandeep / Jasmine / Zara

Aaron Gill – Young Irfan / Tony / Noor’s Grandson / Sami

Mamta Kaash – Poojah / Khadija / Noor

Asif Khan – Jasvir / Kulvinder / James

Bhasker Patel – Father / Irfan / Mukesh

Creatives

Director – Iqbal Khan

Set Design - Rachana Jadhav

Projection Design - Rachana Jadhav

Projection Design - Simeon Miller

Movement Direction - Seeta Patel

Lighting Design - Simeon Miller

Sound Design & Composition - Beth Duke