★★★★

“bursts with joy and warmth”

Saher Shah brings her excellent debut play back to London after its 2023 tour. Prepare to laugh, cry, and leave both dazed and dazzled.

Vitamin D explores the cultural taboo of divorce within British Pakistani communities with wit and warmth, and a hefty dose of emotion.

Larki, played by Shah, has returned home to Pinner, after the breakdown of her marriage in Manchester. Now she must deal with nosy neighbourhood aunties (played with pitch perfect comic timing by Zyna Goldy), friends who just want the best for her, and the nervously well-meaning ministrations of her mother (Renu Brindle). Larki doesn’t want to be a solicitor, she wants to be a poet. Also, she wants to be left alone. The second is definitely not going to happen.

The simple story is fleshed out by the strength of the performances. ‘Friend’ played by Anshula Bain is a force to be reckoned with, dominating the stage with epic dance moves, subtle acts of kindness, and gag after gag. Brindle’s performance stole it for me, quietly depicting a mother who wants to help but doesn’t know how.

Melina Namdar’s direction plays with the light and shade of the piece, blasting rap music (sound design by Riwa Saab) one minute and allowing space for quiet, intimate conversations the next. This private sphere of women is brought to life, depicting these familiar and real characters with tenderness and humour.

The slam poetry, which hangs the story together and offers insight into the protagonist’s inner turmoil, is the weakest part of the show. It should provide poignant relief to the high energy interactions, but it feels a little flat, especially in comparison to the strength of Shah’s dialogue, which is masterful.

Maariyah Sharjil’s set is draped with rugs and cushions, with projections of the handwritten notes that Larki scribbles throughout the show. It combines modern and traditional set design in a way which echoes the spirit of the show.

This is a show that feels important, and unusual. It’s discussing a serious and significant topic which needs more awareness, but it also bursts with joy and warmth.

CLOSER TO HEAVEN at the Turbine Theatre

★★★★

“unashamed fun, energised performances and a true, light-hearted celebration of decadence”

Nearly a quarter of a century on from its premiere at The Arts Theatre, Jonathan Harvey’s “Closer to Heaven”, with music from the Pet Shop Boys, is having another stab at getting closer to its goal. Although we’re still not quite sure what that is. So, for the time being it is best to take it at its superficial face value and plump for the sheer entertainment value it provides. It has that in abundance. Simon Hardwick’s revival splashes it over the gossamer-thin text in sexy swathes of flamboyance and camp panache. Designer David Shields has transformed the Turbine Theatre’s space into Vic’s club (surely soon to become a landmark as celebrated as ‘Rick’s Café’), complete with cabaret tables, haze, ultraviolet neon and dancing boys. We are closer to Heaven – the nightclub – than ever before.

Mistress of ceremonies is Billie Trix; a washed-up former icon, afraid to look in the mirror. Although we don’t quite understand why – Frances Ruffelle looks pretty damn good, and sounds sensational when she sings. The purity and emotion shines through, particularly in her solo numbers such as the evocative ‘Friendly Fire’ that opens the second act. She loses a touch of her command when she dips into dialogue, with a voice ravaged by years of abuse and an accent that has clearly lost its way. The owner of the club has a similarly tenuous hold on the proceedings. Filled with as many regrets, Kurt Kansley’s Vic is a bruiser with a heart of gold; a gay man trapped in a divorced father’s body, trying to make amends with a daughter who yearns for somebody to call Dad. His estranged daughter, Shell, is remarkably familiar with Vic’s entourage for someone who has just walked into his life after fifteen years, but we can overlook these discrepancies. Courtney Bowman’s standout performance lifts her character from the shallow text like the pages of a technicolour pop-up book that fold out into three dimensions.

A love story trickles away as a sub plot. Shell falls for newcomer Dave (Glenn Adamson). Or rather ‘Straight Dave’ as he is known – a nickname that is plainly in breach of the Sale of Goods Act. Dave falls for local drug dealer, Mile End Lee (Connor Carson). A sticky end all round is unavoidable. Adamson’s Dave is a wannabe singer and dancer whose integrity is as ill-fitting as a tight pair of shorts, while Carson’s angelic looks fail to betray any notion of his lifestyle. Of course, they ‘get it on’, to the chagrin of Shell, but the sparks don’t quite fly. And the repercussions trigger shoulder-shrugs rather than shockwaves of emotion.

There are moments of humour, with choice one-liners shared among the cast. David Muscat’s slippery music mogul, Bob Saunders, devours the clichés with relish and it’s difficult to tell whether he is choking on the words or his tongue in his cheek. But the whole company are having a ball. Especially Ruffelle, whose gleeful, natural exuberance shines brighter, warmer and more dazzling than the cool neon and swinging LED beams of light.

The music is everything you would expect of the Pet Shop Boys, but with more theatricality and a refreshing dynamic that is absent from their chart toppers. The score carries the show, along with the impeccable vocal performances. It is a beautifully dressed show, and slickly choreographed by Christopher Tendai. The ensemble are as integral as the leads, and just as watchable. If the performers are the stars, the costumes are the superstars.

We feel uplifted by the time we reach curtain call, which is surprising given the schmaltzy, message-heavy finale that wants to pull us under like a bed of quicksand. Yet we feel high. Not quite as high as the ketamine-fuelled characters onstage, mind, but at least we’ve remained this side of the law. Vic’s club is a place we’d like to frequent when looking for unashamed fun, energised performances and a true, light-hearted celebration of decadence. Well worth getting close to.

VITAMIN D at Soho Theatre

★★★★

“bursts with joy and warmth”

VITAMIN D at Soho Theatre

Reviewed on 5th September 2024

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by Charles Flint

Previously reviewed at this venue:

Vitamin D

Vitamin D

CLOSER TO HEAVEN at the Turbine Theatre

★★★★

“unashamed fun, energised performances and a true, light-hearted celebration of decadence”

CLOSER TO HEAVEN at the Turbine Theatre

Reviewed on 5th June 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Mark Senior

Previously reviewed at this venue:

CLOSER TO HEAVEN

CLOSER TO HEAVEN

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