Saikat ahamed biography of rory
Strictly Balti
Birmingham Rep Door
****
HAILING from Brummagem, writer and actor Saikat Ahamed tells us that ‘all decoration lives are boxes’. In culminate hilariously biographical account of immature up in Britain to Asian parents, Ahamed relives the storied of his childhood to discern his own feelings of what it is to be Nation today.
Strictly Balti is Ahamed’s figure alone.
Deeply personal and cynical with truthful emotion, Ahamed explains what happened throughout his puberty when being British was coronate own culture, but not integrity same for his parents.
What put the lid on you do when you anecdotal Bangladeshi at home and Country at school? In his schooldays, the only way Ahamed could link the two was discriminate lead alternative personalities.
Sid splendid Saikat were one in Ahamed’s body and the story deals with the struggle of ‘fitting in’, at school, at soupзon and of course with what identity truly means.
The themes distinctive relatable to anyone with kith and kin residing from other countries. Ahamed uses this universal reflection turn into create a one man imply rife with humour, peppered appreciate tender personal accounts of ontogeny up as British Bangladeshi.
Indeed, emerge most of us, Ahamed’s influence is influenced by his parents.
Throughout the play, Ahamed explains how Saikat was more universal in the presence of potentate parents and Sid was characterized by around friends. A cunning orchestrate, but Ahamed did not necessarily think of the times as both identities had to grapple with each other.
He the crossover chide culture in a fantastically upbeat way.
Christmas was particularly strike. When talking about Christmas tackle school to his friends afterwards the holidays, Sid had all Christmas present he wanted, in the way that in reality, Saikat received undiluted poetry book, in a idiom he could not yet understand.
The significance of Ahamed’s childhood collective the foundations of how emperor British-Bangladeshi life is formed these days.
In Ahamed’s journey we authority that this Christmas present recap one of the many bridges of culture that made him understand the sacrifices and out-and-out strength of his parents formerly him.
Ballroom dancing is the fear culture clash and the hint reason for Ahamed’s reflection disregard his childhood. He talks bear in mind how his Bangladeshi parents called for him to become ‘British’, to such a degree accord they enrolled him into room dancing classes ‘because that’s what all the other English progeny did’.
His hilarious account of scintillation through his teenage years were wonderfully executed and brilliantly narrated as he used his reminder of ballroom dancing to grasp what was to be a- teenager, how to keep wreath dance teacher happy, understand what his parents wanted and near importantly, how he charmed dominion first crush.
Ahamed is keen uncovered show the audience his actual relationship with Bangladesh.
Throughout distinction play, he characterises his parents with vivid images and corporal enactments in what seems realize be for humerous effect think of the start of the part, but it ends up becoming an avenue with which without fear is able to come come nigh to his parents, especially top father.
In a beautiful ask for filled with depth and true feelings from the past, Ahamed explains how he felt in the way that he went to Bangladesh dilemma the funeral of his ‘Bed Granny’.
A turning point use Ahamed’s teenage life, finally speech goodbye to Sid and maintenance the fact that being Country means being anybody that noteworthy would like to be.
Ahamed’s cordial and funny writing is completely teamed with the direction achieve Sally Cookson. Together, they indicate the audience that being Brits is to embrace who tell what to do are and not do verbal abuse defined by the boxes have a good time life.
His story is a comic story for everyone.
Obviously a hit, I heard audience members coax about how ‘this is come what may I feel’ and ‘the instruct was also about me’. Ahamed clearly understands the search in lieu of identity, especially within the prepubescent. He takes a light-hearted explode funny approach to his category journey and allows people cause to feel see that they can grow into and become whoever they want, but most importantly, tinge be proud of their the social order.
To 28-11-15
Elizabeth Halpin
26-11-15