Retracing Our Footsteps: Minding our Language

Minding Our Language is a look South Asian language theatre in UK from the 1960s. #RetracingOur Footsteps

This event will focus on the rise of South Asian language theatre in the UK. It was created by different communities, Bengalis in the East End, Punjabis in West London and the Gujarati communities of Wembley and Leicester. How did these productions sit alongside the English speaking South Asian theatre work being produced? What were the themes? Historical heroes? Contemporary issues like winning the lottery? Falling in love versus arranged marriages? Why was it important for South Asian communities to produce work in the various languages? Was it for pure entertainment, speaking the truth or a nostalgia for home? What does all this work say about being a South Asian in Britain across the decades?

It is presented by Suman Bhuchar, a curator, producer with Bhuchar Boulevard. Panellists include:

Susan Croft, is a writer, curator, dramaturg, arts/performance archive consultant and historian with special interests in women playwrights, black and Asian theatre in Britain, live art and new writing for performance …as well as alternative theatre generally. She cofounded www.unfinishedhistories.com - an online portal celebrating the alternative theatre histories of 1960s, 70s and 80. Susan is currently working on FYFFI project - Fifty Years for the Fight for Inclusion looking at lesbian and Gay performance in the UK.

Ash Kotak (He/Him), is an award winning playwright, film maker and journalist. He also curates and is a founder of AIDS Memory UK - the Campaign to establish The AIDS Memorial in London. His latest play is Freddiebhai: the story of Farrokh Bulsara. His film, Raj Kapoor in Russia is currently in production.

Rup Khatkar is a versatile artist, known both as a poetess and an actor. She has delivered numerous performances across the UK and was honoured with the Young Punjabi Poetess award by the Leeds Arts Council. Her acting talents have been featured in several films, including "Chal Mera Putt" (Go my Son), and she is also a UK based member of the theatre group, Jan Natya Manch. Furthermore she serves as the president of the Indian Workers Association of Great Britain. Southall Branch.

A member of the Narratives of Time, Exploring Bengali theatre and community progression in East London from 1963-2013. (tbc).

This is a FREE event which is now postponed. Contact Bhuchar Boulevard for More information

Evening Conversations with Live Music accompaniment by composer Arun Ghosh

I will be doing my 53rd performance of my solo show, Evening Conversations at Theatre in the Mill, University of Bradford with the wonderful, Arun Ghosh playing live on clarinet with me. This is a very special treat and I hope you will join me. The show is on 28 October 2025 at 7pm.

Tickets £8 or £5 concessions.

Retracing Our Footsteps: From South London to the South Bank

Bhuchar Boulevard celebrates the tenure of Tara Theatre’s founder, Jatinder Verma, through excerpts of Tara Theatre’s prominent works, a visit to the Nional Theatre Archive, and the celebration of Professor Jerri Daboo’s book about this pioneering legacy.

The evening at Tara Theatre will focus on its theatre journey from grassroots activism to the mainstream stages and will feature readings and Q&A with invited guests. The event will showcase a unique genre of innovative work in the South Asian theatre canon and how it speaks to aspects of contemporary South Asian identity.

Audiences will experience the rich cultural contribution made by Tara Theatre, fostering inter-generational dialogue between South Asian creatives and communities, enabling them to feel seen, heard and appreciated.

There will be a Q&A with Jatinder Verma; designer, Magdalen Rubalcava: actors, Bhasker Patel, Sudha Bhuchar, Shaheen Khan, Shelley King and author, Jerri Daboo.

Reading/s directed by Tara Theatre’s artistic director, Natasha Kathi-Chandra.

Jerri Daboo’s book, Jatinder Verma by Routledge will be available on sale for a special price.

Retracing Our Footsteps is an initiative by Bhuchar Boulevard to accelerate the development of an Asian theatre playwriting archive. The event will be from 6.30-8pm in the theatre followed by networking and cash bar till 9pm. The event is free but booking is advised.

This event is supported by the Mayor of London, Arts Council Heritage Fund, Wandsworth Borough of Culture with support from University of Exeter, and Tara Theatre.

Retracing Our Footsteps: From South London to the South Bank Archive Unboxed Tour

As part of the Wandsworth Borough of Culture, South Asian Heritage Month, this is a special treat to visit the National Theatre Archive located at the National Theatre Studio, 83-101, The Cut, London SE1 8LL

Participants will get an understanding of what the Archive Collects and What it does. It's a chance to get hands on with our performance history. The Tour is provided courtesy of the National Theatre Archive. There are two tours taking place. Please select your preferred time by filling in the form on the link below. Duration: 90 mins

Northern Youth

A film season at Pictureville Cinema, curated for Bradford 2025 by Dominic Leclerc features a very special screening of East is East followed by a Q&A with an all-star panel with Chris Bisson, Emil Marwa, Sudha Bhuchar and host Nick Ahad—digging deep into culture, comedy and growing up in-between.

Evening Conversations written and performed by Sudha Bhuchar

I am grateful to be the reader for the upcoming, Raiders of the lost Cask, a new commission on BBC Radio 4 as part of #BookatBedtime written by Scottish Bengali writer, Abir Mukherjee, who began writing after winning a thriller writing competition set by The Daily Telegraph. Abir’s Wyndham and Banerjee series about a crime solving duo in British Calcutta has won him accolades and a wide audience.

Raiders of the Lost Cask however is set in the highlands of Scotland, and I play Sunita, who is leading a seemingly quiet life in the village of Glen Torrance by running the local post office. When a letter arrives on her doorstep, her husband’s shady past threatens to disrupt their lives. It spurs Sunita into an unwanted adventure which will change everything.