The Firehall Arts Centre Presents Anosh Irani’s Bombay Black

The Firehall Arts Centre is pleased to present Anosh Irani’s Bombay Black, from Wednesday, December 5 to Saturday, December 15, 2018.

Named one of the top shows on Vancouver stages in 2017 by The Georgia Straight, Bombay Black is a searing play set in the bitter reality of present-day India. The iron-willed Padma (Jessie Award nominee Nimet Kanji) takes money from men who watch her daughter, Apsara (rising star Arshdeep Purba), perform an exotic dance. When a mysterious blind man named Kamal (Jessie Award nominee Munish Sharma) arrives for an appointment, his secret threatens to change each of their lives forever.

Directed by Mumbai-born, multiple award-winning Indo-Canadian producer Rohit Chokhani, Bombay Black features a remarkable poetic text, bold theatrical imagery and a gritty twist. Chokhani’s reimagination of Irani’s work marks the first time this play is presented from the perspective of a blind man. An earlier version of this production, which was Chokhani’s directorial debut at the 2017 Vancouver Fringe Festival, enjoyed a sold-out run and received the Pick of the Fringe Award.

Donna Spencer had this to say about the production, “As Artistic Producer of the Firehall, I have always been excited about supporting the work of artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and providing opportunities for emerging directors to have their work seen. Rohit Chokhani’s production of Bombay Black provides just that opportunity to showcase his work as a director and to introduce the creative team and actors in the work to our audiences.”

December 5-15, 2018 | Firehall Arts Centre | 280 E. Cordova

Performance Times:  Tues, 7pm | Wed-Fri, 8pm | Sat, 3pm & 8pm | Sun, 3pm | Wed, 1pm PWYC (Dec. 5 & 12)

Preview Performances:  December 5 at 1pm (PWYC) & 8pm

Tickets:  From $20 at www.firehallartscentre.ca or 604.689.0926

“Nimet Kanji’s burn as Apsara’s mother is beautiful to watch in all its cruel glory.” – Mark Robins, Vancouver Presents!

“This is one of the most harrowing, unsettling, and mesmerizing plays I’ve ever seen.” – Andrea Warner, The Georgia Straight

“Director Rohit Chokhani has brought this vibrant feature to life.” – Jorin McSween, SAD Magazine

“Suspend your disbelief and plunge into the dark of Bombay Black; there’s light at the end of this tunnel. – Lincoln Kaye, Vancouver Observer

“Irani entwines fantasy with reality…a moving story” – Time Out Mumbai

“…promisingly written…a masterful blend of eroticism and mystery” – Toronto Star

Credits for Bombay Black:

Written by:  Anosh Irani

Directed and Produced by:  Rohit Chokhani

Performances by:  Nimet Kanji, Arshdeep Purba, & Munish Sharma

Stage Management by:  Tanya Schwaerzle & Emma Hammond

Lighting Design by:  Chengyan Boon

Sound Design by:  Rup Sidhu

Set Design by:  Tanya Schwaerzle & Rohit Chokhani 

Costume Design by:  Rohit Chokhani & Tanya Schwaerzle

Dance Coaching by:  Gunjan Kundhal 

Associate Producer:  Shanae Sodhi

Production Associates:  Ayush Kathuria & Ashley Rose

 

For more information on the Firehall Arts Centre, please visit the following platforms:

Website: www.firehallartscentre.ca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/firehallartscentre

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FirehallArtsCte

Instagram: www.instagram.com/firehallartscentre

 

Media release provided by Teresa Trovato, Trovato PR. Feature image: Arshdeep Purba and Nimet Kanji Bombay Black by Anosh Irani