An intriguing insight into the lives of several characters who relocate to the UK.Rating
Good
Early on in Faizal Abdullah‘s single-handler, one of the several characters he portrays comments that the impressive level of diversity is one of the reasons he loves living in London. It reminds him of where he grew up in Singapore, and he’s even a little surprised there are so few white people and wonders where they are hiding. It is just one of many thoughtful, yet wryly amusing observations found in the production.
With only the use of a small drum, Abdullah shifts from one character to another in a playful manner as he skilfully switches time periods, genders and at one point even species. The latter takes place when he personifies a surly cat who has no choice in being relocated, and at first it feels like a slightly odd decision to include a talking feline. But the cat is so adorable it’s impossible not to enjoy his interjections, plus it brings a pleasing level of levity to these sometimes difficult proceedings.
Throughout, Abdullah plays around with the stereotypical ways England is often portrayed; it’s full of funny insights, including how Gatwick Airport is a terrible introduction to the country as it’s so dated and run down. A comment about how England’s always wet and windy initially feels like a cliched remark, but it’s soon made clear he’s joking and in fact it’s a chilly yet pleasantly sunny day, and the kind of weather that he thinks makes him look pretty cool as he needs both a jacket and sunglasses.
As well as exploring British culture and the surprises and disappointments involved when relocating, we’re given glimpses of what life was like back in Singapore. There are mentions of National Service, family gatherings and affectionately remembered parades, but it feels a little frustrating that there aren’t more examples like this. It also feels like the issue of racism in the country could have been expanded upon, especially as one of the characters plans to move back to Singapore due to the rise of right-wing parties like Reform. It’s a troubling topic, but one which the play would benefit from exploring, especially as only one of the characters appears to feel this way.
These are minor complaints however in a show where Abdullah proves himself to be an extremely accomplished actor. All the characters he portrays are instantly recognisable even without a costume change, and all have appealing idiosyncratic mannerisms and ways of speaking. More importantly, we see both their positive attributes and their flaws, which makes them feel not only believable and memorable but also like very sympathetic individuals.
It’s an hour long show which flies by, and the tone is constantly changing so that the show remains lively and intriguing throughout. Whether you’ve experience of relocating to another country or not, this is a thoughtful and intelligent work that both celebrates and commiserates the current state of the UK through lenses that are rarely seen, and that reason alone makes it a very appealing work.
Created and devised by Faizal Abdullah
Produced by Khai
Mendaki (To Climb) runs at The Cockpit until Saturday 8 November.
