Over a decade after John Madden’s unexpected worldwide hit film was released, which starred legends such as Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel and Bill Nighy, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has finally reached the realm of the theatre. What most people are unaware of, including myself before last night, is that the 2011 rom-com is based on the 2004 novel These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach, who has also authored this stage adaptation. Having never watched the film or read the book, I was not entirely sure of what to expect going through the doors of the beautiful Alexandra Theatre, but the performance certainly left me with a lot of food for thought.

Moggach provides a succinct synopsis that perfectly sums up this touching work, claiming that it is “all about having another life when people think you’re past it”. Indeed, nobody would think that a group of British pensioners moving to a retirement hotel in India would have much ahead of them apart from spending the last of their days lounging in the sunshine, but this striking story strongly suggests otherwise.

Whether it is in exploring the sights of a new country like Douglas (Paul Nicholas) and Jean (Eileen Battye) do, discovering new insights using the past as in the cases of Dorothy (Richenda Carey) and Muriel (Marlene Sidaway), or through the simple search for sex, which is the only thing that seems to occupy the minds of Madge (Rula Lenska) and Norman (Andy de la Tour), there are facets to each character that audience members can identify with. In all of these individual instances, it soon becomes apparent that there is still a sense of purpose and many valuable experiences to be gained despite the constraints of old age – a comforting reminder after having recently encountered a bout of gerascophbia following my 22nd birthday.

This is not to say that there are not moments of struggle, for we are brought back to the harsh reality of the retirees at various moments. This begins quite subtly with physical ailments, especially for Muriel who suffers from frequent stomach aches due to the hotel food – although, this is quickly solved after eating the delicious dishes concocted by her friend Tikal (Anant Varman). There is then the growing tension between Douglas and Jean, who appear to be happily married on the outside, but their love has slowly faded over time, leading to frequent short tiffs and causing Douglas to engage in romance elsewhere. However, the tragic climax occurs towards the end with a sudden death that turns a wholesome Christmas dinner into a rather depressing affair.

Nevertheless, this is not just a show about the elderly. There is an exciting subplot running throughout the play that concerns a trio of youngsters working in a call centre in Bangalore. Sahani (Shila Iqbal), Kamila (Kerena Japal) and Mohan (Varman) provide some much-needed comic relief with their cheeky antics that range from tricking their boss to adopting new identities  inspired by Western celebrity culture, such as Sally Spears. The budding relationship that develops between Sahani and the newly appointed hotel owner Sonny (Nishad More) also conjured up a juvenile innocence that left members of the audience ooh-ing and aah-ing. 

It was in the crossovers of these older and younger lines that the magic of the cast really shone through. Every single character was played to perfection with the mannerisms exhibited physically, verbally and emotionally. Hayley Mills, who played Evelyn, was the clear star of the show, giving a nuanced portrait of a timid old woman who eventually finds a sense of course and adventure. Her attention to detail from the slight changes in her voice to her walk intimated so much more than just words could, although nothing can quite match her wish to be a lesbian like Dorothy. Rula Lenska was also a standout with her effortless elegance and no-frills exclamations that were almost as fiery as her fabulous hair, and Eileen Battye cannot be forgotten with her accurate depiction of a “woke”, left-wing senior and comic lines like ‘adventure not dementia!’

Aside from the incredible acting, the other elements of the play were extremely well thought out. Colin Richmond absolutely nailed both the costume and set designs, formulating a fantastic pillared scene that used up the entire stage effectively, and matching classic British linens with vibrant, sparkly Indian pieces. Composer Kuljit Bhamra MBE constructed the perfect East-West fusion of British Bhangra music that had everybody in the theatre swaying from side to side whilst the cast did a closing dance number. Director Lucy Bailey has created a five-star show that should not be missed!

The Best Exotic Mariold Hotel will continue playing at The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham until Saturday 25th February 2023. 

Rating: 5/5

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