March 2015 — June 2015
Blood
by Emteaz Hussain, directed by Esther RichardsonPresented by Tamasha and The Belgrade Theatre Coventry
Caneze meets Sully in the college canteen. The heat rises over triple chilli sauce in Nando’s. She makes her move in the sweet smoke of a shisha bar. A touchpaper is lit… but neither of them bargained on the lengths to which her brother would go to keep them apart.
BLOOD is a searing and heartfelt new play by the writer of Tamasha’s SWEET CIDER. Set among a Midlands Pakistani community, BLOOD is sparky, funny and heart-wrenchingly honest. A timely and contemporary story, this play cuts through political agendas and goes straight to the heart. It lets us into a world governed by links to family and clan, as much as fiercely individual wants and desires.
Creative Team
“After the 2011 riots, I felt frustrated over the myopic portrayal of working class young people. It was important to me to write a play which captured the complexity of their lives and the brave, sassy way they negotiate their identity in a wider context.” Emteaz Hussain
Writer Emteaz Hussain
Director & Dramaturg Esther Richardson
Designer Sara Perks
Composer & Sound Designer Arun Ghosh
Lighting Designer Aideen Malone
Tamasha Developing Artist Assistant Director Ryan Harston
Movement Director Kitty Winter
Casting Director Nadine Rennie
Tamasha Developing Artist Observer Christa Harris
Production Team
Production Manager Dennis Charles
Stage Manager Laura Stevens
Stage Manager Jane Smith
Cast
Krupa Pattani
Caneze
Adam Samuel-Bal
Sully
"Wonderfully sharp, poignant two-hander...the performances here are never less than enthralling"
- Time Out
"Hussain writes this passion-filled tale with lashings of humour as well as intense feeling... This is a superb example of new writing... a fitting tribute to this company’s good work."
- The Stage
"A superb example of freewheeling storytelling...Constantly uplifting, occasionally hilarious..stylishly poetic and deeply felt... A brilliant piece of new writing."
- The Arts Desk
"Any presumption that Blood might simply be a British Asian reworking of Romeo and Juliet is quickly blown away in this immaculately written and precisely performed duologue that kept me absolutely gripped for 80 minutes."
- What's On Birmingham
