Review: THE P WORD, Bush Theatre

Photo credit: Craig Fuller

The P Word is a new Bush Theatre commission, written by and starring Waleed Akhtar, that follows the lives of two gay Pakistani men navigating life, love, culture and prejudice in London.

Akhtar swaggers into his role as cocky Londoner and prolific Grindr user Bilal (or Billy as he prefers), opposite Esh Alladi who is devastatingly vulnerable yet brave as asylum seeker Zafar, recently fled from Lahore. The two characters play out parallel storylines on designer Max Johns’ yin and yang revolving stage before they intersect and become bound up in each other’s lives.

This is a beautifully formed play, with all elements of acting, movement, direction and design coming together to form a perfect seesaw between these two connected but different lives. 

The writing is similarly finely balanced, with Akhtar’s script skating between familiar levity and unflinching brutality. Some scenes play out like a Bollywood rom com and others like a thriller that sends your heart into your mouth.

The beginning of the play, particularly Bilal’s storyline, is tentative, almost as though the characters are struggling to settle into their skin but as the play progresses, it grows in confidence and the audience is drawn into discussions about identity, internalised prejudice, acceptance and friendship, with the help of Xana’s immersive and enveloping sound design.

By the end of the play and even as the audience is filing out of the theatre, you are dropped into the ice bath reality that faces immigrants and asylum seekers in this hostile country. But Akhtar’s script is essentially funny and heart-warming, maintaining an all-important core of love.

The press night performance was met with an instant standing ovation, well deserved by this tender and sobering play brimming with warmth and humanity. 

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Livvy Perrett

The P Word plays at the Bush Theatre until 22 October, with tickets available here.