Theatre Review: My Beautiful Laundrette at The Leeds Playhouse

ALMOST 30 years after the first successful cinematic release for Film on Four, screenwriter Hanif Kureishi returns to the story, adapting it for the stage. Curve Theatre’s artistic director Nikolai Foster takes the helm, co-producing with the Leeds Playhouse, Coventry Belgrade and Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatres.

Set during Thatcher’s reign when racial tensions were rife, Kureishi’s tale of unlikely love begins in South Clapham, switching the action between a group of squatters and the protagonist, Omar (Omar Malik). After his mother committed suicide, Omar is left with his alcoholic father who’s keen to see him put to work.

Setting up a pre-college summer job with Omar’s Uncle Nasser (Kammy Darweish), little does Papa (Gordan Warneke) realise Omar’s priorities are about to change. Rapidly promoted to manager of a dilapidated laundrette, Omar is reacquainted with an old school friend and teams up with him to make a success of the business.

Starring opposite Malik in the role originally made famous by Daniel Day-Lewis is Jonny Fines as Omar’s skin-head childhood friend, Johnny. Working alongside each other, despite their obvious differences, they soon discover that they have more in common than a love of cleaning. With some illegitimate capital and joint passion, Powders Laundrette blossoms and so does their relationship with love found in unlikely places.

Fines gives the strongest performance, effectively portraying the complexities of Johnny’s character, ably switching between the malleable thug and more delicate vulnerable lover that he is becoming.

Kureishi represents the generations caught between Britain and Pakistan, depicting the struggle they have straddling two cultures while also highlighting racial tensions. Omar’s cousin Tania (Nicole Jebeli) highlights the misogyny young Pakistani women face, viewed as “slaves or pets”. Amid all the serious meaty issues, there are plenty of gags and innuendo to keep the mood light too.

Designer Grace Smart creates an authentic 1980s aesthetic with hideous print ties and ill-fitting double-breasted suits, complemented by scene-changing tunes courtesy of the Pet Shop Boys and a metallic industrial-looking set. Quick interspersing scenes result in a disjointedness that means the production as whole feels lacking and without fluency. That said, the sexual tension between Johnny and Omar captivates and the development of their relationship is genuinely fascinating to watch, even if on stage it’s the PG version.

My Beautiful Laundrette showed at The Courtyard Theatre October 5th.

Leo Owen