Review: An Adventure at Bush Theatre

© Helen Murray

From an initial encounter in post-Partition India, intrepid venture into war-torn colonial Kenya, domestic disputes in discontented ’70s London, to wistful twilight years in the present day, Vinay Patel’s ambitious marathon charts the trajectory of an Asian couple’s marriage over six decades.

It’s a promising comedic start as gawky Kenyan-born Rasik (Shubham Saraf), dressed in an oversized Western suit, struggles to woo razor-sharp Jyoti (Anjana Vasan). Impulsive Jyoti with her caustic wit teases Rasik to discern whether he’s an acceptable match for her inescapable arranged marriage, and when he eventually manages to semi-impress her their romantic journey begins.

The rush of the early scenes reflects the nervous energy of two strangers becoming acquainted, though this hurried pace means much of the hilarity is lost. Soon the chemistry between the young lovebirds dwindles and it’s uncertain whether this is deliberate or not.

On arrival in Nairobi, Rasik secures a job with the British Department of Public Works and from here the play takes a darker tone. He befriends enigmatic David Wachiri (Martins Imhangbe), a Kikuyu displaced from his fertile lands, by European settlers, to the city suburbs. David’s distinct function is to narrate key events from Kenya’s socio-political history including the state of emergency caused by the Mau Mau revolt in 1952. This factual interlude, although highly informative, sits peculiarly within the play, and subsequent details about Rasik’s purchase of Kikuyu farmlands are tedious.

Fleeing violent Nairobi to seek domestic bliss in London, middle-aged Rasik reveals to his politicised wife that he’s deeply unhappy playing second fiddle. Other than a brief tussle over a paint pot and protest placard, there is no hint of his budding resentment. The superfluous, confusing scene after Ba’s funeral does little to clarify – a device contrived simply to transport the couple to India and then to Nairobi rather than adding any real flavour or insight.

Sally Ferguson’s beautifully appropriate lighting and Rosanna Vize’s wonderfully uncomplicated set give the densely-packed dialogue space to breathe and makes it easier to unpack. Equally, lovely transitional moments flow and interweave well, such as the graceful emptying of grain bags to transform the stage into a coffee-drying patio. Use of multimedia screens ensure the play is rooted in the present as well as the past, though the accompanying electro-funk motif was perhaps a step too far and seemed incongruous.

Overall Madani Younis does a confident job directing what is a mammoth play with no real plot, which would be fine if it were not for the lack of tension or intrigue. The play felt unnecessarily long – more show less tell would have helped as much of the action happens offstage: Jyoti’s picket-line demos, daughter Sonal’s (Aysha Kala) racial abuse and Mau Mau rebels’ horrific torture by the British military are some examples.

The last scene between the elderly couple is the most touching as they reveal, with uncensored honesty, their true hearts’ desires. Their vulnerability is palpable and believable thanks to Selva Rasalingam’s endearing portrayal of Older Rasik combined with Older Jyoti’s (Nila Aalia) painfully harsh lines: ‘I thought you were a joke, but a slightly better joke than the others.’

Fundamentally this play is not meant to be a history lesson: it’s a warning about what happens if you marry for the sake of marrying, about the wishes and values that get swallowed up by compromise, and the bitter resentment that builds if ambitions are buried. On this Patel is exceptionally strong, showing an acutely mature understanding of the core issues in spousal relationships.

Cocoa's verdict: Worth seeing for the sheer ambition of it all; don't bother if you like intrigue and drama in a play. 

⭐⭐

An Adventure is on at the Bush Theatre from 13 September –20 October 2018

Running time: 3hrs 15mins (including intervals)