Shows > Strictly Balti (2014, 2015)
Strictly Balti
(2014, 2015)
Strictly Balti toured to schools in Bristol and venues in the South West of England in autumn 2014, took on the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015, then toured the UK in autumn 2015.
About the show
We thought dance class was good, we thought dance class was English. We were wrong. Now we see you are fully English, because you argue with your parents. In Bangladesh this wouldn’t happen. Well you’ve done what we never could. You’ve left Bangladesh behind.
Ballroom dancing is not the only humiliation heaped on Saikat by his ambitious parents. There’s catechism and Latin too. And no-one gets his name right, ever.
Join Saikat as he dances precariously through his dual-identity childhood, torn between the familiar sights of Birmingham and the mysteries of Bangladesh. Meet werewolves in the playground, nuns in the corridors and tangerines in the dancehall… The play takes a humorous look at what it means to be British from someone who had to learn the hard way.
This is a show for anyone who ever had to grow up, a show about being a second generation immigrant in the UK but feeling like an Englishman abroad.
For ages 11+
At A Glance
2014, 2015
Various venues
Past tour - no tickets available
Watch the Trailer
What They Say
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“Extraordinarily imaginative and vivid.” ★★★★
The Mumble
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“A skilled and charming narrator.” ★★★
The List
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“Sweet show” ★★★★
Fest Magazine
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"Wonderful show...lovely story and mesmerised by your performance. Brilliant. A definite must see show."
Audience feedback
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"This is a stunning piece of work by a master storyteller. Saikat had the audience spellbound from his first words to his last."
Audience feedback
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"One of the finest shows I've ever seen at the Fringe, and simply one of the best pieces of theatre I've ever seen."
Audience feedback
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"Fascinating how this young man had everyone gripped, brought laughter and sadness to his show. True genius. Brilliant."
Audience feedback
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"Beautiful, poetic, glorious storytelling - Go see!"
Audience feedback
Meet the Cast
Meet the Creative Team
Learn more
Find out more about our current shows and workshops for families: