Evening Conversations

Written and performed by Sudha Bhuchar

Directed by Kristine Landon-Smith

Originally directed by the late Philip Osment, Sudha’s friend and mentor to whom Evening Conversations is dedicated.

Middle class, middle aged multicultural mother of millennial sons, Sudha lives a “squeezed middle” life in Wimbledon. As she navigates her career, family and returning to India as an NRI (Non-Resident Indian), she is prompted to investigate her own sense of home and her place in the world.

Evening Conversations is a warm-hearted and engaging extended monologue inspired by Sudha’s banter with her sons, as she invites them to ‘crack open a cold one’ and share their dreams and views on life while she rinses a glass of Prosecco or two. 

Sudha is inextricably shaped by her cross-continental childhood- a far cry from her sons’ upbringing in leafy Wimbledon.

Will her dual heritage (Hindu/Indian and Muslim/Pakistani), mono-lingual, fiercely British sons see their heritage as a place of strength or an unwelcome inheritance?

Being cooped up together during the pandemic may have dampened their spirits, but it certainly sharpened their tongues. Shots are fired in the quick-fire exchanges between mother and sons, forcing Sudha to take stock.

As a British Asian ‘cultural leader’ of a certain age, who has created many successes, Sudha has found herself having to begin again and again and revisit her life.  Evening Conversations scrutinises the tendency to re-evaluate our lives as we grow older, discusses the complexity of identity and difference through the experiences that we share, and takes a wry and affectionate look at the differences of perspective and outlook that divide us from our parents’ and our children’s generations.

This evolving show has delighted diverse inter-generational audiences at MAC in Birmingham, Tara Theatre as part Wandsworth Arts Fringe 10th Anniversary, Wimbledon Bookfest, Bury Park community centre, Southbank centre as part of the WOW (Women of the World festival), Footprints Festival at Jermyn Street Theatre, Chelsea and Kensington Festival at Chelsea theatre and most recently at Rich Mix as part of Tongues on Fire’s Asian Film Festival.

At Jermyn Street, Evening Conversations was paired in a double bill with the first ever public showing of a new companion piece by Sudha, Life Laundry, where mothers and daughters take centre stage. Inspired by interviews with actor Shaheen Khan and her daughters, writer and actor Nyla Levy and actor Sophie Khan-Levy- this industry dynasty appeared together on stage for the first time ever.

EVENING CONVERSATIONS IS AVAILABLE FOR TOURING AND ONE-OFF PERFORMANCES. IT IS AGILE AND CAN BE PERFORMED IN THEATRES, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTRES AND AT BESPOKE PRIVATE AND CORPORATE EVENTS.

Awards include: Eastern Eye ACTA (2019), Asian Women of achievement (2005) and First Women (2010) (with Kristine Landon-Smith);

 Tongues on Fire Flame Award (2018) and finalist as Best Actress in BBC Radio 4 Audio Drama awards 2019, Child of the Divide (Best Stage Production, Asian Media Awards, 2018).

Special thanks to Piali Ray for cajoling Sudha to take the space at an evening for Asian Women of all ages at SAMPAD which unexpectedly kick-started Evening Conversations!