The Rishta: a light comedy
Picture by Casey Marie Ecker
The Rishta (or suitor in Hindi-Urdu), a comedy presented by the Silk Road Theatre and hosted at the Centaur Theatre presents a romantic story with themes such as the importance of the family. Written by Uzma Jalauddin and directed by Masha Bashmakova, this play explores the story of Samah who, after falling in love with a Moroccan man called Hussain, must now convince her strict South Asian Muslim family to accept him. To do that, she will enlist with her a matchmaker who will present horrible candidates for her arranged marriage so that her parents are forced to accept her love.
In the play, the scene is surrounded by curtains of different colours, giving the room an ethereal but traditional feel. Coupled with few props to recreate the anterior of the family’s house, it is clear the focus of the action is on how the characters interact. However, some elements help characterize the parents as they are not as traditional as Samah was led to believe: A Justin Bieber shirt and cushion appear throughout the story for comic relief and the father’s Gundam model is exposed secretly on a desk. The warm decor associated with its colourful imagery help give life to the play.
Furthermore, as the family’s grandmothers appear to guide Samah, they place themselves behind the curtains, creating a nice image. As they convince Samah to stop lying to her family on the subject of her love, but also on her degree, they also convince her to reconnect with her brother who has been feeling low because of a breakup.
This light comedy uses its eccentric characters to soften and make light of the situation: from the money-hungry, but rational matchmaker to the suitors she proposes all being a different kind of weird, there are many occasions to laugh. The character of Samah is even more enjoyable by its relatable nature. She too, like many teenagers, struggles to choose her path and reconnect with her family.
Moreover, the Silk Road Theatre is the first professional Muslim theatre company and they present a side of the story that has been missing from popular media for a long time. The diversity of characters but also of stories offered to the audience is sure to excite anyone’s mind.
In the finale, as the parents reveal their less-than-traditional first meeting, Samah reveals who she truly loves and her desire to be an artist, and as her brother reveals why he was feeling so low, the family learns to share their worries and be more open to one another. They learn to accept each other and to communicate, highlighting one of the main themes of the play: the importance of family and proper communication.
Presented from March 30th to April 8th, do not miss this touching and fresh play presented by the Silk Road Theatre.
I am the Editor of the Arts and Culture department, but also a second year student in the Honours Health science program. 🙂
