THEATRE REVIEW: Bring On The Bollywood

BRING ON THE BOLLYWOOD at Cast, Doncaster (May 31-June 2)

BRING ON THE BOLLYWOOD

at Cast, Doncaster

(May 31-June 2)

BOLLYWOOD movies are all about dancing, high emotion, enjoyable plot twists and vibrant colours — and that is exactly what you get with this enthusiastic stage offering.

Bring On The Bollywood offers up a love story with more twists and turns than a giddy snake, wonderful dancing and ear-warming songs.

And the audience at Doncaster’s Cast Theatre certainly got into the swing of this fast-moving and interesting show, giving up a rousing round of applause after each musical number and especially at the end.

The story was a romance mixed with a bit of farce and a good dollop of comedy and featured a range of typical Bollywood movie stock figures: the daughter in search of love, the vain son, the “samosa-shaped” love traingle, the overbearing mum and the doting (and marginally dotty) dad. Throw in a few plot twists (wife turns up to scupper a burgeoning love match, for instance) and you get a menu of spicy fun.

Nisha Aaliya as Dr Katrina Pawar and Robby Kheela as Ronny Kapoor were the central characters around whom all the crazy action ensued.

They meet on a plane and then, by the sort of bizarre coincidence only a Bollywood epic could come up with, end up in the same house. Love ensues until Ronny’s estranged wife Kangna (Avita Jay) turns up.

But there is more confusion to come. Rekha (Sophie Kandola), who lives with Dr Katrina’s family, is being forced into marriage with Dr Katrina’s brother Lucky (Anthony Sahota), even though neither of them want this. But no-one will argue back against Lucky’s mum Lalita (Sakuntala Ramanee), who can best be described as an annoying matchmaker.

Rekha, however, is really in love with Ronny’s friend Amit (played on the night I reviewed it by Raheem Mir). 

Etcetera etcetera etcetera... I hope you were following the story.

All you really need to know is that is was all great fun and fast-paced enough to make the whole thing move along smoothly and enjoyably.

The song and dance routines were obviously the highlight of the show, and ensemble members Jo Bispham, Emiko Jane Ishii, Kesha Raithatha and choreographer Subhash Viman deserve a mention as they gave their all.

There is still a chance to see this splendid Indian feast and I thoroughly recommend that you do.

ANTONY CLAY

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