Draupadi's Robes written and directed performed by Govindan. IN THE EPIC poem, The Mahabharata, princess Draupadi is staked and lost in a game of dice by her husband to his cousin. When the victor unravels her sari attempting to disrobe her, he finds it without an end, so her honour is preserved.
This exhilarating play performed by a new theatre group an featuring a young cast of South Asian origin draws from that scene its theme of women as sources of energy, power and resistance.
Harjit and Priya are two university going women and the best of friends. One day Harjit is seen dating a (shock, horror, shock) Muslim boy, by a busybody neighbour.
News of this is not slow travelling to her Hindu parents. before Harjit realises what's happening, 'a smelly old chart from Canada' arrives in britain. Her parents have obtained the horoscope of a suitable match to marry her off before she causes them further embarrassment before the community.
The rest of the play revolves around the battle of wills between daughter and parents and the evolution of Harjit and Priya'a friendship into sexual love.
Draupadi's Robes is a bold exploration of the status of Asian women in society and the clash in attitudes between different generations of The play breaks new ground in its overt treatment of sexuality within the context of racist Britain, the patriarchal family and conservative social beliefs.
Punjabi and English are used interchangeably reflecting the shared and contesting identities of young Asians. While some of the puns may be lost on a non Punjabi speaker the meaning is generally clear enough.
Of note too is the extensive use of verse, often stanzas from the poetry of Punjabi feminist Amrita Pritam. these recitations are in terrupted by dance and song giving the audience a chance to absorb the dialogue.
Tight knit
All of life in a tight knit community is found here. The nosy Auntiji who always has the latest gossip and is ever ready to dispense wisdoms - 'statistics show lovelove marriages have higher divorce rates than arranged marriages'. ANALYSIS There are jokes aplenty borrowed from Hindi movies Indian film songs and british popular culture.
While the happy ending seems too good to be true and the treatment of sexuality a trifle superficial, there are outstanding performances by Parminder Sekhon (Priya), Poulomi Desai (Harjit) and Sabahat Nascer (Aunty).
Above all this production heralds the coming of age of a confident and culturally aware generation of British Asians. Their hopes, fears and preoccupations. Bravo!
In Socialist Outlook 57, Jeff Lowe and SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 59, 26 March 1994, Page 14