The cast of A Tupperware of Ashes at Dorfman Theatre. Photo by Manuel HarlanWidowed twenty years earlier, Queenie begins experiencing vividly real encounters with her late husband Ameet (Zubin Varla). Meanwhile, her two sons Raj and Gopal, (Raj Bajaj and Marc Elliott), daughter Kamala (Natalie Drew) and close friend Indrani (Shobna Gulati) start to notice instances of memory loss and erratic behaviour. They jointly seek a formal diagnosis which confirms early onset Alzheimer’s.
As matters deteriorate the siblings agree to house their mother for periods on rotation, but their own lives, careers, relationships and responsibilities get in the way of providing the sort of care which Queenie needs. After a series of arguments and potentially dangerous situations, realities have to be faced, decisions made and promises broken — which in turn reveals long suppressed cracks in the family façade.
With a set and costumes by Rosa Maggiora the stage is largely open, allowing for projected sunsets and other states evocative of India. Above the playing area are strung wires which flash and illuminate — serving to represent the neural pathways and synapses which are under attack as the disease progresses. The design has also allowed for a number of stage tricks which appear throughout the piece including the disappearance of a dressing gown through a grill, a suitcase trap door, some fun with mangoes and even a body appearing beneath a blanket. Blink and you’ll miss them, but the more astute audience members will appreciate the positional skill, under-dressing, pre-setting and sleight of hand rehearsals, which are required to deliver such effective results. Thankfully, whilst marvellously erudite and slickly performed, they never detract from the truth and power of the play’s narrative. In fact, the subject matter is resolutely affecting, with the impact of Queenie’s deterioration both upsetting to witness and on occasions even frightening - a testament to Syal’s total embodiment of the character. At one point, a reference to Covid’s impact on those already isolated added another layer which visibly moved a number of patrons at the performance I attended.
Finally, I should like to pay homage to the countless actors who often find themselves cast to play multiple (secondary) roles in plays. Here, Stephen Fewell and Avita Jay play eleven parts between them and in so doing, skilfully create moments of both hilarity and pathos as they slot their characters into each scene. Pavel the sensitive Polish careworker and a rules-obsessed consulate Bureaucrat were two such characters, and the play benefited hugely as a whole from their inclusion.
