My Grandad & I…

My Grandad & I…

“Many, many, years ago, when the Sikhs first came to our country, they had to cut off their hair to get a job… I didn’t know that! One of them was my grandad, who had got himself a job driving buses, but when he turned up on his first day, he was asked to take his turban off and cut his hair…Poor Grandad. He of course refused. So his employers wouldn’t let him work..
 
My Grandad had no choice but to take the bus people to court, but the judge wasn’t listening… What could he do…?’
”

My Grandad and I.. is a moving and touching story told through the eyes of a nine year old Sikh boy called Tarsem, who faces intimidating and bullying issues for wearing the turban.

Through charting the experience of his Grandad, and befriending Tahila, a hijabi wearing Somalian girl from his class, our story unfolds Tarsem being inspired to face up to his own ‘fight’…

Reviews

" a great personable way of learning"

Sandy Chaggar, EBN Academy

Great reviews/feedback for My Grandad & I..on our first day of shows. Following the opening at EBN in the morning the company played at Palfrey Girls School - Walsall.. "It was a great show..very informative and engaging ...really wished the whole school could watch it.. The Children enjoyed it and learnt how Sikhs overcame struggle" -

Firoza Kholwadia, Headteacher.

Team

CREATIVES

Devised in association with pupils from Cranford Community College, Queensbridge, Starbank and Small Heath Schools

Written from devised material from original script by Hardial S. Rai

Directed by Ajay Dattani

Design by Ajay Dattani & Suneeda Maruthiyil

Cast; Amirul Hussain, Roni Syed, Ahmed Ali

 

PRODUCTION

Produced by Fateha Begum for zeroPlus Theatre/The Artta with financial support from Arts Council of England & SWRT

Thanks to Purdy Bhogal, Raju Malli, Oakland Young People’s Centre, Surinder Kaur Sandal (Naseby Youth Centre), Nishkam Centre.