I recently attended Birmingham rep theatre to see Bhangra Nation. A show I had seen advertised a while back which showed a lot of promise
There was so many positive elements in the show I’m not sure where to begin!
Scenery, lighting and sound were all superb. The lighting especially was designed well and I felt transported numerous times to the scene that was unfolding in front of me. I didn’t need to use imagination or pretend, I felt part of the action,
The show had many raucous moments and a few comedic jokes dotted throughout the production. The audience were lively, with them laughing, applauding and enjoying every moment. The choreography of the show was excellent, with some tender moments interwoven into the production.
The dancing and acting by all cast members was excellent and really brought the show alive when the swing and ensemble were on stage.
I was catapulted on an Indian adventure full of wonderful moments, whilst the show is set in America I think it could also work if set in the UK too.
Usually in a review, I will give out a shout to particular cast members that really rocked the show. First off huge congratulations to Jena Pandya playing Mary, she played the part beautifully and was a strong character throughout the production. Siobhan Athwal really shone on stage with her powerful voice and acting, she shone stage presence and was a delight watching her perform. Leo Udvarlaky gave a strong performance as Just Bob and also Ivan Fernandez Gonzalez playing Billy was fantastic at his singing and acting.
There was only one thing on the show that didnt quite work for me and that was one of the first songs with Zaynah Ahmed, to me it sounded like the song was pitched too high for Zaynah and her voice sounded as if she was struggling. However the rest of the songs and dancing and acting was absolutely brilliant from Zaynah.
So are you considering whether to see this show? I would wholeheartedly say yes, its a show I might even go see again.Its only for a limited time though. The audience also gave a standing ovation at the end, so it must have been good!
The whole creative team, alongside cast should be proud of such a show. Well done