On the evening of Monday 25th July, one embarked on a little journey to “The Young Vic” theatre to watch Chasing Hares. Chasing Hares was written by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Sonali Bhattacharyya and directed by Milli Bhatia. Milli is known for directing other films such as ‘Methods Of Killing Kylie Jenner’ and ‘Life Is No Laughing Matter’.
The play is set amongst two different time periods and locations. You would think the early aughts based on the fact that the cast are in awe of other riders being on £6 an hour. One was fooled, however it is set in modern-day times and the workers are simply being exploited for low fees. It really goes to show that many individuals are struggling and working far below the national living wage. One did believe that the majority of the play was set in the mid-80s. This was due to the fragile working conditions but for a matter of fact, these were the working conditions many faced in the early 21st Century in West Bengal.
Credit goes to costume designer Moi Tran for doing a great job on villain Devesh’s (Scott Karim) arty prints. Devesh’s pink pastel suit was a look and Jai Morjaria’s ability on lighting in every scene was one worth noting.
Philanthropist, actress, and model Elena Fernandes who was in attendance said “Really impressed with how they incorporated current issues in India that people may not be aware of and how they referenced in the Western world, it was a very important topic which made the audience think”.
Overall a phenomenal play with a star-studded crew thanks to the casting director Polly Jerrold. Chasing Hares explored themes of exploitation, culture, and social class division. Chellam (Ayesha Dharker) brought elegance, sass, and comedic comments which made the audience highly engaged throughout her performance. However, the play was suited more towards those that perhaps favor darker themes such as social justice. It certainly wasn’t for the faint-hearted and the combination of humor intertwined with the political themes made it a play one would be happy to watch again.
Tickets to watch Chasing Hares can be located here.
#YVChasingHares
Connor Mantle
Young entrepreneur and freelance model. Founder of the AW20 Hope & Glory Fashion show, with interests in mythology, spiritualism and astrology among many others. One can be contacted via Instagram @Connormantle