‘I’m fixing you up with a job. With your uncle. Work now, till you go back to college. If your face gets any longer here you’ll overbalance… Or I’ll commit suicide’
– Papa, My Beautiful Laundrette
British-Pakistani writer Hanif Kureishi specialises in books and screenplays that hold up a mirror to an unequal society – the sort that audiences who vie for fantastical portrayals of other worlds wouldn’t necessarily want to escape into as they’re quite gritty in their depictions of the mundane and ordinary.
My Beautiful Laundrette, the original screenplay of the 1985 movie of the same name (written by Kureishi and original film direction by Sir Stephen Frears) proves that the show still packs a punch in this 2024 stage adaptation directed by Nicole Behan. Its story centres around Londoners during the Thatcher years and tells the story of young British Pakistani, Omar (played by Lucca Chadwick-Patel), who transforms his Uncle’s run-down laundrette into a thriving business with the help of Johnny (played by Sam Mitchell) where their love for one another blossoms.
As for the venue in which this effervescent (pardon the soapy pun) play takes place, I had always wanted to visit the Leicester Curve space, and the joy I experienced walking around made the wait so worth it. Portraits of former productions decorate the large arena-esque foyer, and a café (filled with delicious lunch options that I took advantage of), ensuring that patrons were well fed before the main event, and before the curtain rises for the two shows that were to be performed.
I didn’t manage to see the last iteration (directed by Nikolai Foster in pre-pandemic 2019), My Beautiful Laundrette – for those who don’t know – tackles themes of fascism, racism and also homophobia. It’s the friendship that turns into a love between the lead protagonists. This version felt a little stilted to start, but then really was beneficial of the audience reactions to the material in the second act. I have to say, the 80s music as you walk into the auditorium only adds to the joy, and nostalgia of a lived era in this piece.
The material is faultless and truly sublime; it’s a piece that has aged well, given that the depictions of fascism seeping into society are still quite relevant to this day. Fans of the screenplay will enjoy this iteration for it hasn’t lost any its charm as the decades have progressed. There’s a certain sense of timelessness in its protagonists, where gay couples were aplenty in my viewing of the play; a quick look to Omar and Johnny show that their story of polar opposites finding a common ground and circumstantial coupling means so much in this current political climate where we are seeing a proliferation of racism and anti-Muslim sentiments in mainstream politics. Patel and Mitchell’s characterisation is real, and feels well studied. The nerdiness to the character of Omar that Patel brings I thoroughly enjoyed, and made me root for him when times get rough (and tough!). Whereas Mitchell, being part of a hate-filled cult always gives the audience warmth as he realised his bigoted ways; the reference to their lives, and the chemistry between the leads showed. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the conviction of all actors on stage; supporting characters in Sharan Phull as Tania, Harreet Deol as Salim, and Gordon Warnecke as Papa provide some light-hearted moments of comedy of smaller characters that stay with you after the curtain closes.
However, where this could have improved was the slightly clumsy set movements, and scene changes that felt like it was still in some form of needing some extra rehearsal time and satisfactory direction overall. Given it was the first venue I would perhaps call that to first venue nerves, I hope this can be ironed as it reaches more venues (it is going on a national tour, via the National Theatre’s Theatre Nation Partnerships network). I found the scenes – especially those depicted in the home of Papa/Omar – to be too restrictive on the Curve’s studio stage, meaning they were sometimes lacking movement and felt confined to a small circular area instead of using the entire space. The addition of Gordon Warnecke, however, gave this a beautiful charm and full-circle moment when he arrives on stage as the ailing Papa.
To conclude, this was a good attempt – despite some easily remedied issues – to revive what is a modern classic in my eyes. I am glad to have one of Kurdish’s pieces on the stage, and think that the show’s place in the British drama has been firmly cemented given the popularity of Kureishi’s works over the last few decades (there’s also a revival of The Buddha of Suburbia to be performed at the RSC later this year). This is one for the queer couple, for those who are allies as well as people who enjoy simply brilliant writing. The UK’s theatres that will be visited by this piece will be in for a treat as the work of Kureishi continues to age like fine wine as the years pass, and as they rightfully should.
** Until April 6th only **
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