Review: The new Bhangra Nation musical at Birmingham Rep joyfully gets inclusivity right

Featuring a book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lee music and lyrics by Sam Willmott (the trio met in the USA at a one day musical theatre workshop networking event) the show originally premiered in 2022 at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego under the title Bhangin’ It. 

The husband-and-wife writing team came up with the idea for the show after Lew Mirza’s chance stumble into the world of competitive Bhangra in the USA and specifically after an invitation to watch annual contest, ‘Bhangra Blowout’ in Washington and after their love for Bhangra extended so much it included them performing a first dance Bhangra routine at their wedding. 

The idea for a musical set in that competitive but jubilant dance world was forged. And with Birmingham renowned as the modern Bhangra capital of the World (legendary singers and bands including legends Jazzy B, Apna Sangeet, Balwinder Safri, Shin from DCS, B21, Dr Zeus, Bally Sagoo, Foji Gill, Hard Kaur all hail from the city and region and began fusing the traditional classic Bhangra sound with modern rock, pop, reggae, RnB and garage along with Birmingham based record labels like Movie Box) it made sense for the show - now updated with additional songs since the San Diego run - to find its first UK home at the city’s beloved Birmingham Rep Theatre. 

Set in the fictional East Lansing University in Michigan, the rites of passage story follows the tale of ‘T.I.G.R.E.S’ Bhangra dance team members and friends Mary (played delicately and yet so emotionally and powerfully by Jena Pandya) and Preeti (Zaynah Ahmed, Aladdin) and their personal voyages of discovery in competitive US collegiate Bhangra dancing. 

Soon after their Bhangra team qualify for the nationals, the protagonists find themselves both at loggerheads and on opposing teams with traditionalist Preeti falling out with bi-racial Mary over what Bhangra is and what it should be with Mary’s wanting to bring in different dance styles such as classical Indian Kathak into their routine and Preeti opposed to the diluting of roots of Bhangra as an energetic folk dance form originating from the farms of Punjab.

(Her fears are later explored in a sensitive way in the powerful ‘Not  Wrong’ which is a  motivating hip-hop number and which also questions the fine lines between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.) 

Drawing from competitive Bhangra and mixing it with other Indian and Western dance forms and blazing a trail on the US competitive Bhangra circuit with a newly recruited misfit troupe of diverse dancers, Mary - who has an Indian mother and a white father -  sets out not only to conquer at the finals but on a meaningful journey into the conflicting pressures of friendship, love and evolving and unexplored cultural identities. 

Produced in association with Mara Isaacs, Tom Kirdahy and Peggy Koenig and directed by Stafford Arima, the moving and funny musical kicks off with ‘Bhangin’ It’ - a  high -octane number bursting with kaleidoscopic melodies, colourful costumes (designed by Linda Cho) and infectious dhol beats (performed throughout the show by the excellent Parvinder Kaur who also plays the dholak on stage and off too). 

Sensational  dance moves are accompanied by boundless cardio-heavy energy in powerful and pulsating renditions like the ‘Balle Balle’, ‘Nationals’ and ‘Bhangra Nation’. 

But it’s not all Bhangra; in the tradition of something for everyone good old musical theatre (and even the Bollywood films one character playfully alludes too) there’s also a smattering of jazz, latin, hip-hop and other traditional South Asian sounds and routines mixed in with the Broadway and West End style ballads.  

‘Anymore’ and ‘Toledo’ take the honours as the powerhouse numbers with Pandya and Ivan Fernandez Gonzalez (giving an enthusiastic performance as Billy) showcasing their stunning singing abilities during the latter.

The song is fresh, catchy and hip-wriggling but also a timely and astute look at how societies hold minority individuals accountable as representatives of their communities who may also be dealing with feelings of being outsiders for not being able to fluently speak mother tongues. 

Pandya who has previously starred as Sophie in the UK tour of Mamma Mia and What’s New Pussycat at the Birmingham Rep, demonstrates that she’s at the top of her game as the heart and soul of the show especially during a dream-like empowering Kathak routine and ghazal (Kal Mein Ishq Talaash Kare’) with her late mother (who as a trained dancer was Mary’s first kathak teacher).

It’s a perfectly executed sequence with a touch of old-school Hollywood mixed with the courtesans of late 1940s-1970s Indian cinema made famous by actresses like Madhubala and Meena Kumari. 

Helping Mary’s team and bringing the glam is former Hindi film star turned restaurant owner Rekha (played by the dazzling Sohm Kapila) who insists their dance movements will be aided by some hard time mixing ingredients and washing pans in the kitchens of The Samosa Hut in a very recognisable, Mr Miyagi from The Karate Kid style.

Rekha’s cabaret style ‘Khanna Khanna’ (which translates to either ‘food, food’ or ‘eat, eat’ when used as a verb) is a deeply reminiscent nod to the legacy of prolific yesteryear Hindi film star Helen - who often starred in unique, sequin-filled flashy show-tunes and who was nicknamed the ‘Vamp’.  The echoes of Meera Syal’s ‘Smita Smitten Showbiz Kitten’ from Goodness Gracious Me will no doubt please all audiences and fans of the show too. 

At many points the questions of ‘I am Desi enough’ or ‘where do I fit in‘ are raised by and grappled by various characters via anxious and knowing jokes by way of dialogue and song.

Stealing hearts - and scenes - in this way is Mary’s new alley Sunita,  played by the vivacious Siobhan Athwal who excels in the role with pitch perfect and terrific vocals as well as delivering some of the show’s best comic relief one-liners, emotional punches and sparkiest moments. 

In fact, Sam Willmott’s entire score is so giddy and infectious you could see sections of the audience itching to jump out of their seats and dance along throughout the performance.

Rujuta Vaidya’s choreography is as ambitious as it is exhilarating (especially during the various dance-off sequences) and Michael Taylor’s set design is so clever and elaborate (along with David Bengali’s explosive and beautiful light projections and visuals especially during the sweet and utterly modern ‘Dot dot dot’) you can’t help but root for the show to get UK wide West End run so you can catch it all again. 

With conductor and musical director Josh Sood at the helm and inspiringly, additional arrangements and orchestrations by UK Bhangra sensation Kuljit Bhamra,  traditional indian instruments and sounds such as bansuri,ghatam and tablas are blended with western flutes, guitars and saxophones harmoniously as the orchestra hit all the right notes.

Some of the most touching and innovative moments of the production are when the musicians and singers are incorporated and brought to stage such as when pit vocalist, Rekha performs the wistful and soulful dream-sequence ballad ‘Ve Leja Mainu Ping Wal Tu’ so much so you wish a little more could be seen of the musicians behind the scenes too. 

That said the entire ensemble contribute so much to the show and this is what adds to it richness. While there’s plenty to compare the general plot to films and TV shows like Step Up, Bring it On and Glee, at heart, the musical with it’s focus on the experiences of the second and third generations of the US South Asian diasporas is a meditation on identity, ethnicity and heritage along with assimilation, alienation and also the struggles of heritage and cultural preservation and loss that will resonate deeply with the children of all immigrants. 

Bhangra Nations runs at The Birmingham Rep until Saturday 16th March 2024. For tickets please visit Bhangra Nation at Birmingham Rep or call 0121 236 4455 or visit the box office during opening hours.