Society implodes

A fine balance
Hampstead Theatre

INDIRA Nehru Gandhi oversaw a tumultuous era of censorship, repression and human rights abuses as Indian Prime Minister. Perhaps her most controversial moment was declaring a state of emergency in 1974 – suspending elections and ruling by decree. She enforced the sterilisation of over eight million Indians – mostly poor, illiterate, lower caste or Muslim people. In an adaptation of Rohinton Mistry’s Booker shortlisted novel, A Fine Balance – using actors from the UK’s premiere Asian theatre group Tamasha – the Hampstead Theatre has produced a gripping account of what has been described as the darkest period of democracy in Indian history.
A mural of Gandhi, with a twisted smile and a dark glint in her eye, looks out across the stage as society implodes.
A limbless beggar Nusswan (Divian Ladwa) pushes himself about on a self-styled go-kart and pleads for spare change. Anyone who has been to India will relate to the character and the dusty set.
But rather than inviting pity, the leper is one of the happier characters. All seeing and free, he plays the wise fool. The Beggarmaster (Shiv Grewal), a kind of pimp for beggars, makes sure Nussman doesn’t come to any harm, but knows the value of his deformity. These two actors, and their relationship, stood out from the other admirable performances. But a special mention must go to the puppeteers, who wowed the audience with a cheeky monkey and mangy dog on strings.
Until 28 January
020 7722 9301

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