Our review of the 'hilarious and moving' theatre adaptation of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
"It's all about having another life when people think you're past it," says Deborah Moggach, author and screenwriter of Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - a beloved novel, series of films, and now a play, writes Eleanor Lawson.
The ethos of the story, about the importance of embracing life and going on adventures at any age, clearly resonated with the Birmingham audience at The Alexandra who hung onto every word and cackled at every joke.
Being surrounded by an audience so engaged and passionate about its message was a truly heart-warming experience, reinforcing the power of watching live theatre.
The story revolves around a motley crew of elderly Brits who have grown disillusioned with their own country decide they want a change. Half of them have been widowed and are lost in the wilderness of their twilight years, trying to find a new meaning to their lives.
They don't want to inconvenience their families and feel invisible in the country of their birth, which has become a place they no longer recognise.
So they are outsourced to a new “residential hotel” in India - which is far cheaper for the state and less hassle for their families. What they don't realise is that the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will change their lives forever.
Jean (Eileen Battye) gives the impression that her and Douglas (Paul Nicholas) are "smug marrieds" yet it becomes increasingly evident that years of pushing him around has caused Douglas to fall out of love with her.
Evelyn (Hayley Mills) grew anxious about leaving the house after the death of her husband, and despite moving across the world to embark on new horizons, is yet to leave the safety of the hotel.
The magnificent Madge (Rula Lenska) is a vixen on the hunt for a rich man after the deaths of her previous husbands and is keen to make the most of every opportunity life gives her.
While Muriel (Marlene Sidaway) finds it harder to integrate than her fellow expats, bonding with a cleaner at the hotel who is dubbed "the lowest of the low" due to his caste changes her perspective entirely.
The group is rounded out by the grumpy Norman (Andy de la Tour) who is hiding a big secret to protect his pride and Dorothy (Richenda Carey) whom the group suspects to be mad until they learn about her past.
Then there's the delightfully exuberant Sonny Kapoor (Nishad More) running the hotel in the shadow of his father who has died and left his mother, Mrs Kapoor (Rekha John-Cheriyan), dependent on her son.
Mrs Kapoor clings to her son while also claiming he is running the hotel into the ground. Unfortunately, the close mother-son bond causes problems with Sonny's love for Sahani (Shila Iqbal) the charming call centre worker who works down the road.
The wonderful thing about this show is how it celebrates age while also refusing to shy away from the difficulties and loneliness that can occur in later age.
Our characters battle physical ailments and the loss of their loved ones, while also finding passion, excitement, adventure - and a handful of mischief - in their retirement.
This is exemplified in an array of fabulous performances, with particular credit going to Rula Lenska, Rekha John-Cheriyan, and Marlene Sidaway.
And while the show is hilarious, the importance of its meaning is exemplified in the words of Lucy Bailey, director of the show, who said: “It’s not only about growing old or becoming lonely, it’s also about how we become invisible, especially women, as we get older, without realising it.
“It’s a gradual thing that happens, the sensation of becoming a ghost. What the author is suggesting is that there is still potential for us not to become ghosts. We we grow older, despite feeling increasingly insecure about our bodies, our need for physical contact remains as strong as ever.”
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is at The Alexandra until Saturday, and at Wolverhampton Grand from March 28 - April 1.
To book tickets, go to atgtickets.com/shows/the-best-exotic-marigold-hotel/.
