Vibhinna Ramdev
An Indian woman questions her life in the post-colonial era. English, unknowingly forced upon her, leaves her facing an identity crisis. Through personal experiences, interaction and performance, Why English? explores language, culture, identity and the legacy that English continues to hold within India.
At the centre of Why English? is a deceptively simple question: why is English treated as such a prized commodity in India?
Vibhinna Ramdev challenges why one language can become a dividing line between people. Why should someone’s command of English influence how they are perceived? Why should it affect opportunity, status or even how somebody views themselves?
After all, it is a language, not an instrument with which to measure somebody’s worth.
One particularly effective recurring device involves casting calls. Vibhinna initially declares her knowledge of English at around 90%, but as the production progresses, that percentage gradually falls.
It isn’t necessarily because her ability to speak English has disappeared. Instead, it reflects a changing relationship with the language. She becomes less concerned with proving her English credentials and increasingly embraces the other languages and identities that exist within India.
That gradual reduction becomes a small but effective act of reclaiming something which had previously been used to define her.
Beautiful fabrics are interwoven throughout the production and are put to good use rather than simply existing as decoration. They add colour and texture to an otherwise intimate piece of theatre and contribute to Vibhinna’s storytelling.
We also learn about her personal upbringing, her experiences and what she desires for her future. This is important because Why English? isn’t simply an academic discussion about colonialism or language. There is a person at the centre of it who has experienced the questions she is asking.
The production does contain a warning about nudity. Before entering, I knew this, although exactly what form that nudity would take was another question entirely.
When the moment arrived, it was perhaps the part of the production which made me think the most.
There is a difference between nudity included simply to shock an audience and nudity which forms part of what a performer is attempting to communicate. Here, Vibhinna chooses nudity in the name of freedom: freedom of expression and freedom to decide for herself how she presents her own body.
Whether the moment works will probably depend considerably upon the individual audience member.
Initially, I questioned whether it belonged within a production primarily discussing English and its position within Indian society. However, when considered alongside the wider themes of restriction, identity and expectations placed upon Vibhinna, there is a logic behind it.
My interpretation was that the moment becomes an act of defiance.
For much of the production we hear about expectations surrounding how Vibhinna should speak and the value placed upon a language inherited through colonialism. In this moment, she takes complete ownership. In effect, the message becomes: your opinion doesn’t determine how I speak, how I act or what I do with my own body.
Viewed from that perspective, the nudity is not separate from the conversation about language and identity; it becomes another expression of personal freedom.
It is bold, and it will undoubtedly generate different opinions. Perhaps that’s partly the point.
The pacing throughout the show is good, with appropriate moments of humour preventing the heavier themes from becoming overwhelming. Vibhinna is an engaging performer who is comfortable speaking directly to her audience and bringing them into the conversation.
Why English? ultimately raises questions about identity, culture and the relationship between language and power. These aren’t necessarily questions which have straightforward answers, but they are ones worth considering.
At the end of the performance, Vibhinna also opened up a discussion with the audience about what we had just witnessed. This was something I hadn’t encountered in the other Edinburgh Fringe productions I’d seen this year and felt particularly appropriate here. Rather than the conversation ending when the performance finished, the audience was given an opportunity to continue it.
There is, however, room to take the central argument further.
I would have welcomed more substance around exactly how English operates within contemporary Indian society – for example, its role within schools, employment, everyday life and officialdom. Giving audiences who may know very little about the subject some additional context could make the argument even more powerful and help us understand the practical consequences behind Vibhinna’s personal experiences.
Nevertheless, Why English? is a thought-provoking and distinctive piece of theatre which isn’t afraid to challenge its audience.
It asks us to consider who decides which languages have value, how the legacy of colonialism continues to influence identity and, ultimately, who gets to decide how an individual speaks, presents themselves and lives their life.
You may leave with a different interpretation from the person sitting beside you.
But you’ll probably leave talking about it.
★★★★ 4 Starts – When language becomes power, identity fights back.
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/why-english
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