Skip to main content
2000

Local

Written by Arzhang Pezhman

Play Details

Context

Artistic Director
Ian Rickson

Part of
Young Writers’ Festival: Exposure

Dates Performed

Saturday 14th October 2000
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

Play Details

Synopsis

Behind the smudged glass of a corner shop window, generations collide as headlines and family traditions mingle in the daily rhythm of community life.

In this family-run newsagent’s, the mundane tasks of selling papers and lottery tickets become a lens through which to examine the complex dynamics of immigrant life in Britain. Three generations navigate the choppy waters of cultural assimilation, each struggling with their own understanding of identity and belonging in a rapidly changing urban landscape.

Pezhman’s Local crackles with tension as youthful ambition clashes with the weight of tradition, and parental sacrifice grates against filial duty. The shop becomes a microcosm of broader societal issues, exploring race, immigration, and the evolving face of British multiculturalism. Through sharp dialogue and keenly observed characters, the play challenges audiences to look beyond stereotypes and see the rich, complex lives unfolding in their own communities. Local offers a nuanced portrayal of the immigrant experience, reminding us that behind every neighbourhood shop lies a universe of hopes, fears, and quiet revolutions.

Director(s)

Marianne Elliott

You may also like...

East is East

East is East

1996

Ayub Khan-Din

Lift Off

Lift Off

1999