Made in India @ Soho Theatre Review

The term ‘motherhood’ brings with it many connotations, however the experience is unique to the individual. Satinder Chohan explores the rarely talked about process of surrogacy, a selfless, yet emotionally draining act of kindness from one human to another in the very timely Made in India.

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Eva dreams of starting a family, and seeks her last chance of achieving this possibility by travelling to India, whereby surrogacy is a big business. Chohan’s Made in India responds to a day and age whereby juggling motherhood and a career is commonplace, and is careful to present the emotional weight that comes with aspiring to have both.

Chohan meticulously presents a narrative mindful of all of her protagonists. The evening’s charm is a result of the living and breathing realities of this trio of characters and doesn’t solely depend on the fact that it’s tackling a weighty topic. Gina Isaac emits a subtle yet gripping presence; the evening follows Eva’s pursuit of starting a family and the audience watch on as attempts to make sense of the emotional rollercoaster she finds herself on. There’s a connect with the audience that sets the endearing tone for the evening. Syreeta Kumar commands the evening as the all knowing Dr Gupta. She’s self assured, can talk the talk but there’s a seed of doubt that gradually outstays it’s welcome throughout the show, this is in part due to Eva’s concerns about Dr Gupta’s practice as well as Dr Gupta’s reluctance but forced acceptance of putting her job on the line  to accommodate Eva’s wishes. Ulrika Krishnamurti‘s Aditi embodies a naïveté yet a steel that marks her out as an intriguing force. As Eva’s surrogate, she finds herself on a fine line between poverty and living a comfortable life.

Chohan’s script is riddled with dilemmas and this keeps the evening dramatically afloat. All three women are interdependent on one another, all three strong in their own right. Katie Posner compliments Chohan’s vision of enlightening and presenting bold female characters. There’s a true sense of ensemble, all three cast members collaborate and the product of this is striking. Lydia Denno‘s labyrinth of mesh doorways are minimal yet beautiful, whether it’s a cast members household or the Dr’s surgery, the streets of India are brought to our doorstep. If you are looking to book a show offering a gateway into a topic not explored enough in theatre but in a humanistic manner then Made in India is the show for you. The show is without judgement, it doesn’t convince you to side with a particular point of view rather it serves a snippet of life from the eyes of these women seeking motherhood, prestige or a means to survive. 4/5

Review written by Lucy Basaba.

Made in India is currently showing at the Soho Theatre until Saturday 25th March 2017. For more information on the production, visit here…

Written by Theatrefullstop