Playwright and Director Kayser Foyz Invites us to his Eid/ Christmas Celebration, Merry Mubarak
What happens when a once-in-a-generation calendar overlap brings Christmas and Eid together on the exact same day? In Merry Mubarak, playwright and director Kayser Foyz explores the comedic and heartwarming chaos of a family navigating cultural heritage, tech distractions, and the ultimate festive dinner debate.
Premiering as part of A Season of Bangla Drama at QMUL ArtsOne in Tower Hamlets, before a week long December run at Whitechapel’s Brady Arts & Community Centre, this production mixes classic Bollywood, physical comedy, and lived experiences into a celebration of modern British-Muslim identity. We sat down with Kayser to discuss the inspiration behind the play, steering family dynamics on stage, and why the path to societal healing might just start with Sticky Toffee Pudding.
The premise of Merry Mubarak hinges on a once-in-a-generation calendar overlap where Christmas and Eid fall on the same day. What inspired you to explore this specific intersection through comedy?
We’re currently living in a very polarising and divisive time where ‘othering’ and what makes us all different, is being exploited. This story is about what makes us all the same – the nightmare of trying to get the family together for a celebratory meal!
Eid hasn’t fallen over the Christmas holidays since 2000, did that year fall into your research for the play and how people responded to the event?
Yes, I remember clearly having to fast during Christmas that year and I was not happy. So I decided to organise a stealthy Christmas themed Iftar (Sunset time to break fast) via roast potatoes and a spiced spatchcock Turkey with gravy. So yes, lived experience research was a big part of this play.
The play touches upon a “trilingual heritage” and a “Jolly Bolly” festive atmosphere. How important is music, dance, and popular culture (like classic Bollywood) in bridging generational and cultural divides on stage?
If we dig deep enough into any culture, we’ll see divisions within sub-cultures as wide as societal culture. Diversity seems to have become a byword for difference. What I see is ‘intrinsic diversity’ – which is not the colour of skin, gender, ability of mind or body, sound of accent, or even fashion sense(!) but the translation of the British experience through the lens of local and international heritage, to understand our unique culture, unlike anywhere else in the world.
And the best way to celebrate that is through music which transcends differences of heritage. There is one scene in particular, a musical dance off, that highlights this best and is probably a first ever, anywhere in the world!
Beneath the laughs and the chaotic family dinner between siblings Syed and Sani, what deeper conversations are you hoping audiences take away regarding modern British-Muslim identity and shared celebrations?
This is a tale of a muslim family, but really it’s the story of all families and more, a parable of our society. It’s about how the noise of technology, politics, economic inequality is making us check out from our nearest and dearest. To heal as a society, we have to start with our family, and to do that, we have to start by agreeing on what’s the best dessert for Christmas, yes, it’s Sticky Toffee Pudding!
How long has the concept for Merry Mubarak been brewing, and how has the script evolved from its initial conception to hitting the stage for A Season of Bangla Drama?
SBD festival has always been a great platform for new shows, especially now when a lot of people are being priced out of a festive show this Christmas. Which was why I decided to preview our show at the festival before our one week run just before Christmas.
We almost got Christmas and Eid in 2000, so the idea probably stemmed from there, and since Christmas starts earlier each year, I thought, might as well start Christmas-Eid celebrations early too, seven years early!
As both the writer and the director, how do you handle the transition from page to stage? Do you find yourself rewriting lines in the rehearsal room as the actors bring the characters to life?
I love each stage of the process of bringing a story to life. From acting and shouting out the lines like a madman when writing, to working with the actors to bring the words to life and instil a lived-in texture. There’s a wondering organic process during rehearsals where the rich and compelling elements glide though to the final (literal) stage and the rest get ground and fermented into movement and vigour, bringing vitality to the narrative and experience.
The play features an ensemble cast juggling everything from culture clashes to musical and physical comedy elements. As a director, what was your core vision for establishing the comedic rhythm of the show?
My vision always centres around a symphony of relationships. What starts off with the chaotic melody of cultural debate, unravels to its core beat of human interaction and intention.
Cineatre is known for telling stories inspired by lived experiences. In what ways do elements of your own background or observations of community life bleed into the relationships portrayed in Merry Mubarak?
All my stories are a tapestry of lived experiences. The difference is normally in the enhanced nature of telling. There is magic and fantasy within Merry Mubarak, everything from The Matrix to Mariah Carey make an appearance.
I always believe if you don’t have a sense of trepidation when telling a story, then you’ve not dug deep enough. Unless a little piece of our soul is not in a story, the audience won’t connect and in this world of AI and tech-bros, (also features in the story), we all want human connection and what better time to connect, then during the festive season?
Our deepest thanks to Kayser for this time telling us about what sounds a fun filled and rather different show. You can catch Merry Mubarak at QMUL ArtsOne on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November, and then at Brady Arts & Community Centre between Tuesday 15 and Sunday 20 December.
