The Tiger and the Moustache
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| The Tiger and the Moustache | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Saikat Ahamed |
| Original language | English |
The Tiger and the Moustache (previously called Bangladesh) is a one-person play by British actor Saikat Ahamed about tracing his mother's journey from Bangladesh to Britain.
The play follows the story of Saikat Ahamed's own mother, Hashi, who was born on the day India declares independence, growing up in the Sunderban jungles, smiling and surrounded by flying tigers. Snapshots of time are taken, as the audience retrace her steps from the 1947 Partition to Glasgow in the 1970s right up to present day as she travels from Bangladesh to the United Kingdom.[1]
Background
The Tiger and the Moustache (previously called Bangladesh) is a one-man play,[1] referring to an old Bengali folk tale about a man who could catch a tiger with the strength of his facial hair.[2] It was developed with support from Bristol Ferment at Bristol Old Vic.[1]
Barefoot, Ahamed gradually sheds layers of clothes throughout the story, adapting his attire with the addition of various accessories. The odd sound effect is added for emphasis, along with the warm lighting glow of a Bangladeshi sun, while a chair, woven with material forms the central prop. Integrating physical theatre and song into the performance, he mimics personalities and nationalities of people met along the journey with a very funny, and sometimes even alarming, likeness.[1]
The narrative is laid out with time jumping back and forth.[1] The show covers a cast of hundreds.[3]
Tour
The Tiger and the Moustache debuted at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in February 2013.[1]