Love under scrutiny: Adam Samuel-Bal (Sully) and Krupa Pattani (Caneze). Photo credit: Robert Day
Play: Blood
Theatre: Soho Theatre (then on tour)
Playwright: Emteaz Hussain
Director: Esther Richardson
Review by Natalie Gormally
Set in an East Midlands Pakistani community, Blood is billed as “a 21st century urban love story”. Performed by just two actors, it’s also a story about family, religion and the dissonance between traditional cultural boundaries in modern day British life.
Caneze (Krupa Pattani) is intelligent, studious and en route towards a flourishing career in pharmacy. Sully (Adam Samuel-Bal) is an endearing and slightly goofy character. They meet at college and arrange a date. After Sully attempts to woo her with his rapping and a trip to Nandos (she is a strict veggie), a strong bond grows between them.
They sneak around, hiding the relationship from their friends and family, climbing through bedroom windows, like a modern day Romeo and Juliet. For these two, this is real love.
After Caneze’s dubious older brother Saif discovers their relationship, Sully is bundled off to Pakistan by his brothers, for his own safety. Caneze is left in the dark and heartbroken. She manages her grief through study and prayer.
As the elder son and family bread-winner, Saif takes control, directing what she should wear, when to attend temple and even pushes her into become romantically involved with the shifty Yousuf. Their mother passively agrees to this decision, closing her eyes to the realities taking place between the younger generation.
Saif’s own behaviour is at odds with the demands on his sister – he has a non-Muslim Russian girlfriend and fraternises with Pakistan gangsters. Yet despite efforts to exert herself as a woman in this community, Caneze has to comply. When her home situation quickly disintegrates into disturbing and frightful violence, it leaves both her and Sully questioning their families, themselves and their future.
At its core, Blood is about family. Is blood is thicker than water or water thicker than blood? Despite the events, both teenagers – especially Caneze – struggle to free themselves from the physical and emotional grip of their family and tradition.
Blood explores some big issues, but delivers them in a lighthearted, humorous and accessible manner. Intergenerational pressure is a big theme. In particular, the identity conflict experienced by third generation British Muslims with elders and parents – especially those who can’t speak English – unaware of the harsh realities facing their children, or which they chose to ignore. Also a generation of women expected to develop professional careers, yet also expected to temper their aspirations within a patriarchal culture.
Emteaz Hussain’s writing is stylishly poetic – using a mixture of youth slang, English dialect and Punjabi. Esther Richardson directs with confidence, getting the best out of Samuel-Bal and Pattani, who deliver emotional and realistic performances, full of swagger and sweetness. Sara Perks’ set design is subtle and versatile – setting out a variety of locations with ease.
Blood is a bittersweet and heartfelt story that entertains on many levels. Worth a ticket.
Blood, presented by Tamasha Theatre and the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, is on tour untill 27 June. For more details, visit: www.tamasha.org.uk/blood/