Join us on Saturday 12 August at the New Vic Theatre to celebrate our Punjab to The Potteries project by coming along to the play reading of two new short plays, commissioned by Appetite and New Vic, inspired by the journeys of local people whose families began their story in the Punjab region before settling in The Potteries.
Two playwrights with strong ties to the South Asian community – Shahid Iqbal Khan and Sarah Bedi – will each be creating a new 30-minute play influenced by the memories and stories of the people they meet in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Included as part of the celebration evening is a photographic exhibition, which can be viewed at the theatre on the night. Sam Ivin, whose work documenting human migration into Stoke-on-Trent was shown during the Settling exhibition in 2019, will be producing portraits of some of the people who shared their stories during the project. Val Bansal, who originated the idea behind the Punjab to the Potteries project, will also be displaying photographs of the local South Asian community. The exhibition will be open from Wednesday 12 July to Saturday 12 August.
About the plays
Sarah Bedi’s play
1969. A woman leaves the Punjab to forge a future in Stoke-on-Trent. She quickly finds that her husband, her daughter and herself all face different challenges as they struggle to adjust to their new lives.
To integrate or to assimilate? Punjabi or English? And when oh when can they go back ‘home’?
Listen to an audio introduction for Sarah Bedi’s play below.
Shahid Iqbal Khan’s play
This is a tale of five men from the Punjab living together in a cramped bedsit in 1960s Stoke. All goes well until their carefully crafted living arrangements are marred by suspicion and intrigue. As tensions boil over, the men begin to see that things cannot stay the same forever. They are at a turning point in their lives, they can either stand still or take the plunge and move forward.
Listen to an audio introduction for Shahid Iqbal Khan’s play below.
What to expect at a play reading
The play reading will be done in the New Vic auditorium by actors. Unlike regular performances you may have seen at the theatre, there won’t be a set or costumes. The actors will be rehearsing to very tight timelines and may still be using scripts. This is where you come in by giving us feedback on what you’ve seen, contributing to what will hopefully become full productions in the future! The play readings will take place at 7.30pm with an interval, with the welcome plus exhibition viewing at 7pm.
We would love you to come along, see the exhibition, enjoy the plays and some food, and sharing your thoughts on the work inspired by members of the public.
