Written by young Pakistani/British playwright, Saman Shad, and starring an all-Asian cast, Lingering Voices follows the tale of two Indian villagers as they confront the developers destroying their village. However, rather than using physical means, they use Ghandi-esque tactics, resisting the encroaching development by refusing to leave their small patch of land.

The Show

While the rest of the village abandons their homes and allows this once peaceful part of the world to become a building site, Sita and Haroun decide to stay on and disrupt the development. But as time passes they come to realise their fight has consumed everything in their lives, including their sanity.

The Playwright

Based on Saman's short play The Call of the Wind, workshopped and read in June 2004 by the Kali Theatre Company at the Stratford East Theatre, Lingering Voices draws on Saman's personal experiences of growing up in Pakistan and the Middle East. It raises issues of identity, culture and a sense of place and how these are being eroded by the onslaught of development and globalisation.

The Background

With public debate raging on immigration and asylum-seekers, Lingering Voices is particularly pertinent. The play sheds light on some of the forces behind the displacement and migration of people away from their homes onto foreign shores, as well as exploring the effects of noise and chaos on these new urban dwellers.

The Company

Lingering Voices is the inaugural production of new theatre company, Chand Aur Sitara Productions. The company has been set up with the purpose of creating opportunities for Britain's young South Asian communities to explore and share their heritage through drama and performing arts. Following the company's Edinburgh production, we plan to further increase opportunities for the South Asian community by touring and developing new Asian Diaspora writing.

The Director

Lingering Voices is directed by Lucy Anne Linger, who can draw on her experiences of working with the dispossessed across the third world, having been involved in community theatre production in Ghana and Malawi. Lucy's directing credits include: The Alchemist, Little Pete (written/directed), As You Like It, The Tiger, the Boy & the 3 Judges (T.I.E), Comedienne and The Opera.

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