Counting and Cracking: A Sri Lanka migrant story

LIVE PERFORMANCE

MUMBAI MASALA

When: Until Sunday August 28

Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH

What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine.

www.proudcabaret.com

DILJIT DOSANJH

When: Friday August 12

Where: The O2 Arena, 205 Peninsula Square, London SE10 0ES

What: The Punjabi music superstar kicks off a big UK tour and will perform his greatest hits with a full live band. Check website for further tour dates in Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow.

www.diljitdosanjh.co.uk

SAMSARA

When: Thursday August 18 – Saturday August 20

Where: The Lyceum, 30b Grindlay Street, Edinburgh EH3 9AX

What: British-Indian dancer Aakash Odedra and Chinese dancer Hu Shenyuan team up for this moving contemporary dance duet, inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, which sees mythological storytelling bring East and West together.

www.eif.co.uk

TALVIN SINGH AND FRIENDS

When: Saturday August 20

Where: Curve Theatre, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB

What: The internationally acclaimed British tabla maestro Talvin Singh and eminent guest musicians deliver a one-off performance. Aakash Odedra Company will be presenting a short dance performance before the show.

www.curveonline.co.uk

AMJAD ALI KHAN

When: Sunday August 21

Where: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP

What: Legendary sarod master Ustad Amjad Ali Khan delivers a concert as part of this year’s Proms, with his music virtuoso sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash.

www.royalalberthall.com

RAHAT FATEH ALI KHAN

When: Friday August 26, Saturday August 27, and Sunday August 28

Where: Resorts World Arena, Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1PU; and First Direct Arena, Arena Way, Leeds LS2 8BY; and The O2 Arena, 205 Peninsula Square, London SE10 0ES

What: The qawwali maestro returns for another UK tour and will perform his greatest hits, with his music ensemble.

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

KEM CHHE WITH BALI

When: Saturday August 27

Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE

What: Charity music concert headlined by Bali Brahmbhatt, Saira Khan, and Vinod Shinde, with all funds raised going to educate children in remote parts of India.

www.becktheatre.org.uk

THEATRE

LIFE OF PI

When: Until Sunday October 30

Where: Wyndham’s Theatre, 32-36 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DA

What: Theatre play based on Yann Martel’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name, which revolves around the sole human survivor of a shipwreck stuck on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, as they battle to survive an epic voyage across the ocean.

www.lifeofpionstage.com

CHASING HARES

When: Until Saturday August 13

Where: Young Vic, 66 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LZ

What: Award-winning theatre production revolving around a factory worker in West Bengal, who is recruited to write a play for a popular actress and sees it as a chance to expose injustice. The world premiere stars Ayesha Dharker, Zainab Hasan, Scott Karim, Saroja-Lily Ratnavel, and Irfan Shamji.

www.youngvic.org

COUNTING AND CRACKING

When: Friday August 19 – Saturday August 27

Where: Birmingham Rep, 6 Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2EP

What: Acclaimed theatre play following the journey of one Sri Lankan Australian family over four generations, from 1956 to 2004. The story featuring 19 performers from six different countries, also tells the tale of Sri Lanka post-independence and Australia as an immigrant nation.

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

BEYOND BOLLYWOOD

When: Wednesday August 24 – Saturday September 3

Where: Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, London WC2A 2HT

What: The popular show returns to the West End. It takes audiences on a journey through Indian culture, dance, and music, while presenting the vibrancy and beauty of Bollywood.

www.sadlerswells.com

MRS KAPOOR’S DAUGHTER’S

WEDDING 2 MAURITIUS

When: Saturday September 10 – Sunday September 11 and Saturday September 24 – Sunday September 25

Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE

What: Fun-filled follow-up to popular theatre play Mrs Kapoor’s Daughter’s Wedding, which sees the dysfunctional family planning a destination wedding.

www.becktheatre.org.uk

COMEDY

VIR DAS: WANTED

When: Until Sunday August 28

Where: Pleasance Beneath, Pleasance Courtyard, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ

What: Acclaimed Indian stand-up comedian Vir Das brings his brand-new laughter-filled show to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and confronts important social issues head on.

www.edfringe.com

SUNIL PATEL: FASTER HORSES

When: Until Sunday August 28

Where: Monkey Barrel Comedy, 9-12 Blair Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QR

What: Rising British comedy star Sunil Patel presents his new stand-up show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he discusses everything, from crypto bros to his own failed business enterprises.

www.edfringe.com

Kai Samra

KAI SAMRA: NATIVE

When: Until Sunday August 28

Where: Pleasance Dome, 1 Bristo Square, Edinburgh EH8 9AL

What: Following his critically acclaimed Soho Theatre Live Amazon comedy special, award-winning comedian Kai Samra returns with a brand-new stand-up show about race, class, immigration, youth homelessness, India and 2010 indie-rock bands.

www.edfringe.com

PAUL SINHA: ONE SINHA LIFETIME

When: Until Sunday August 28

Where: New Town Theatre, Freemaso­ns Hall, 96 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DH

What: Popular TV personality and comedian Paul Sinha returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with a hilarious new show filled with surprises, which demonstrates that Parkinson’s hasn’t robbed him of his ability to do stand-up, but enhanced it.

www.edfringe.com

NISH KUMAR – YOUR POWER, YOUR CONTROL

When: Thursday August 18

Where: Weymouth Pavilion, The Esplanade, Weymouth DT4 8ED

What: The popular stand-up comedian’s brand-new stand-up show tackles important subjects such as political upheaval, Covid, current uncertainty, and why he is taking it personally.

www.nishkumar.co.uk

CLASSES

FREE BHARATNATYAM CLASSES

When: Wednesdays August 17, 24, 31 and Thursdays August 18, 25

Where: Gamgee House, 2 Darnley Road, Birmingham B16 8TE

What: The Consulate General of India in Birmingham is organising free and weekly dance classes on its premises. Participants need to register beforehand and will be allocated places on a first come first serve basis.

www.eventbrite.com

FULL DAY INDIAN VEGET­ARIAN COOKERY COURSE

When: Sunday August 21

Where: Hounslow, London

What: A trip to the local Ind­ian shop to learn about ing­r­e­dients will be followed by a

pr­actical hands-on cooking cour­se learning how to ma­ke a variety of Indian dishes. Ch­eck website for more courses.

cookingwithmonisha.com