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West
Yorkshire Playhouse presents 'Mela' (Summer Festival) at
The Drum in Birmingham on 17th and 18 July 2008. Mela is a tale
of friendship, aspirations and destiny written by Bradford born
Tajinder Singh Hayer and directed by Alex Chisholm. The play follows
the stories of a few characters at the Mela: Troy, just back from
Iraq and trying to be the model British soldier; his old friend
Ranjit ready for a display of Sikh martial arts; and Sajjad and
Mariam exchanging barbed comments over his Al-Aqsa mosque calendars
and her hand-made pottery. And then theres Angela who, from
the comfort of the Ferris-wheel, quietly observes them all as an
unexpected event throws together old friends and new found enemies.
Taj
has lived in Bradford all his life and for the last five years he
has been able to earn his living as a writer. His first full length
drama, 'Players' was a sell-out at the West Yorkshire Playhouse
in 2006. For 'Mela' Taj practically camped at last years huge Mela
in Bradford interviewing stall holders and the community. The results
of these conversations can now be seen on the stage interwoven with
the eclectic characters in the play.
The
Mela seemed like an inherently theatrical space, both professional
and for people to display themselves in a social setting; a place
where different groups of people who might live very separate lives
bump into each other, which seemed like a recipe for Drama.
said Hayer
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