[dropcap type -=”circle”]W[/dropcap]hat better way to immerse yourself in an evening of Bollywood brilliance than to combine a trip to the theatre with some culinary delights at a local Indian restaurant?
Our reviewers, Jasmine and Verity Beaney did just that and had a night to remember.
Phizzical Productions brought their brand new show Bring on the Bollywood, bursting in to Oxford Playhouse. With a dynamic cast of celebrated British Asian performers and young rising stars, the comedic musical of East meets West brings the explosive colour, vibrancy and beauty of classic Bollywood to the British stage. Bring on the Bollywood opened in Oxford on the 70th anniversary of Indian Independence.
New and old collide in this vivid comedy, full of intertwined love stories, dazzling dance and a sensational soundtrack. Bring on the Bollywood takes a love story inspired by real life, filters it through classical comedies from Goldsmith to Shakespeare and infuses it with all the energy of a great Bollywood musical.
Created and directed by Samir Bhamra, Artistic Director of Phizzical Productions and Creative Director of the London Asian Film Festival, this nationwide touring production brings a kaleidoscope of colour and Bollywood magic for this delightfully romantic riot of Anglo-Indian exuberance.
The stage design of the play was mesmerising with the use of purple and pink mood lightings and a stunning Indian inspired palace prop with mountains featured behind which gave a real feel of India. The production combines elements of humour and realism that created a story which flowed with emotion and drama, and the music, dancing and singing really bought the Bollywood elements to life.
The show from beginning to end was truly entertaining and suitable for teenagers, families and friends. Children may find the story hard to follow however will still be captivated by the music, dances and colours of the backdrop.
To complete our ‘trip’ to India for the night, we sampled the delights of local restaurant Thali.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was very lively, and groups of families, and friends enjoyed traditional Indian music which created a good vibe throughout the restaurant.
The food was excellent; the menu provided a great selection of classical Indian cuisine. Perfect portion sizes and lots of interesting and colourful elements created a real wow factor and a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.
We rounded off our meal with sweet treats and chai which were both delicious.
Overall the menu had a good variety with a good choice of dishes including Thali a traditional Indian dish, which included different meat options and catered to vegetarian and gluten free diets.
