Review of ‘Camdenwalla’: “Good-hearted script makes the wrong calls”

All I can say is that they tried. And that their intentions were obviously good. But life can’t be built only on intentions. And neither can art. Or the attempts at it. There is something quite laudable about CAMDENWALLA, a play that honours the work and legacy of London’s first call centre help group for Bengali victims of racist assaults. But there are many things to condemn in it, too. And the combination is quite unbalanced.

It’s an excellent premise: the story of a man who spends every spare minute supporting his community, at a time when xenophobic attacks continue to escalate. It’s a concept that resonates immensely and whose ideas should be taken as a cautionary tale. What was happening in the 90s, when the Camden Monitoring group was formed, is still happening today — perhaps, even more frequently. A plot depicting that reality should invite audiences to reflect. And most importantly, it should make us feel. Sadly, the most relevant piece of the puzzle is the one that’s totally missing.

The main problem lies in the script’s inability to confer gravitas to the material. Instead, it delivers an exceedingly humorous take with just a few flashes of poignancy. It’s not enough. Even some of its most dramatic moments get spoiled- even ruined -by obtrusive jokes that add nothing other than a growing sense of annoyance as the audience’s disconnection with the characters solidifies further and further.

Both roles come off as too one-dimensional. And their relationship and background are vaguely explored. Muhammad and Alima share a strong bond. Alima’s father lost his life in an anti-immigrant attack. Muhammad was there. And he’s been tormented by the memories of that day ever since.

That could have led to such stirring moments of introspection and character growth. But it doesn’t. And for the most part, we’re stuck on a loop of exposition, where both conflict and resolution are so vapidly and abruptly presented that it’s almost as if they were not even there. Bring a complete lack of rhythm to the equation, and the result is likely to be quite negative.

Both Bhasker Patel (Muhammad) and Nusrath Tapadar (Alima) demonstrate rapport in the portrayals, although Patel’s naturalness, presence, and layering are yet to make an appearance. However, Tapadar earns high praise in her high-powered rendition, which also teems with range and effortlessness when she instantly transforms into the bit parts of the association’s callers.

There’s thought put into it. And everyone who comes to see will probably be enticed to learn more about this initiative. As for its dramaturgical quality, Camdenwalla might need a different hotline to guide it through the process of building a compelling piece of storytelling — the kind that goes beyond the good ring of its germ. Albeit the basis there, too many components are missing in what, in the end, is not more than a rough draft still waiting to be shaped. And like the situations it recounts, this matter can’t be solved overnight.

All pictures credit to Harry Elletson.

Camdenwalla plays at London’s Camden People’s Theatre until 4 July. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara