‘Sweetmeats,’ the Bush Theatre and Tara Theatre’s latest offering, had it’s press night last night, and I was lucky enough to be in attendance. The show, written by Karim Khan and directed by Natasha Kathi-Chandra, follows Hema (Shobu Kapoor) and Liaquat (Rehan Sheikh) – two South Asian elders who bump into each other at a diabetes course. Initially bonding over their love, and loss of sugar, the play follows them both as they discover a connection with each other that they thought they would not have again. It is a heartwarming and tender tale of a demographic that is not often seen on stage, and there is plenty of levity peppered throughout the piece. Although at times some of the deeper themes are brushed over quite lightly, leading to missed opportunities, and the two hander can at times feel like it needs some tightening, Kapoor and Sheikh bring to life two authentic and believable characters.
The piece leans very heavily into naturalistic one, as signposted by Aldo Vásquez set. It is very much one of two halves, each side showing Hema’s and Liaquat’s living rooms, but also leaving space for their diabetes course and also the bus stop… a garden also manages to sneak in. It does place you in the characters’ world, and when you see them so close, but yet so separate, it does heighten the loneliness and isolation of their situation. Essentially it is a story about elder South Asians, a demographic that is often forgotten about – so it should be praised that the show gives them space, and I think, brings those people to life in a meaningful way. I can see Hema and Liaquat in people in my everyday life, and the cultural flourishes, specifically the productions’ use of language and music adds to the authenticity of their portrayals. There is a lot to get through, and Kapoor and Reihan handle it well, and are both extremely likeable.
The play does move with broad strokes though, and some ideas could have been interrogated more closely. The India and Pakistan relationship is highlighted, but that shared history and trauma never deeply explored, and whilst the two meet due to their relationship with sugar, their love and loss of it never feels fully mined in to, leaving me wondering whether the title of the play needs some tweaking. Perhaps it needs a bit more theatrical, or Bollywood-esque, flourish to heighten these burgeoning feelings – something that at times Simeon Miller’s lighting highlights in relation to Liaquat’s health.
I understand that the show is a naturalistic, slow burn, and to an extent, this works for the characters – they are not the type that we would expect to have an Emerald Fennel ‘Wuthering Heights’ love affair, but, I do think the narrative could do with some shaving, especially in the first half. It comes to a sweet enough conclusion though, where we also get a touch more explicit discussion about loss, especially from Liaquat, which feels earned. It was clear from the audience’s reaction that people were more than willing to go on this journey, and ultimately it is a well performed, inviting and touching piece of theatre.
3.5/5
Thanks for reading!
Photography by Craig Fuller
‘Sweetmeats’ is playing at the Bush Theatre until the 21st of March!
Tickets here: https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/sweetmeats/#book
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