British Indian theatre personality Amit Sharma has opened his term as Artistic Director at London’s iconic Kiln Theatre with a triumphant staging of ‘Pins and Needles’.
The production, directed by Sharma and written by Rob Drummond, puts science and scepticism to the test as it dives deep into the topic of vaccines. The play comes with a cautionary line: “Contains truth, lies and misinformation. You decide.”
Structured in an informal, interactive manner, ‘Pins and Needles’ opens with Rob (Gavi Singh Chera) conducting interviews as case studies in quest of clarity over a complex medical issue. Mary (Vivienne Acheampong) is a mother trying to make the best decisions for her family; Toby (Brian Vernel) is an angry son who distrusts institutions; and Edward Jenner (Richard Cant) is the voice from beyond the grave as the father of modern vaccinations.
The more Rob listens, the more he struggles to keep his own subjectivity off the table. In the process, the audience is also drawn into similar dilemmas as they are forced to empathise with opposing points of view.
“The play is definitely there to spark debate and, importantly, for an audience member to find empathy and understanding of a person with opposite views from themselves,” explains Sharma.
“I love to work with new plays and this one was incredibly contemporary. Even though the subject matter was about vaccinations, actually at the heart of it, it was about the choices we make when it comes to our loved ones and how much we’re influenced by our echo chambers. It also looked at how difficult it has become to find common ground especially when we disagree with each other,” he said.
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Having set the tone for his term with the play which concluded its run over the weekend, the Artistic Director is looking forward to exploring many more such subjects that resonate with our times.
He adds: “I feel so lucky to be Artistic Director of Kiln. We will continue to have a commitment presenting the very best new plays by working with world class artists. The stories on our stage will speak to the world now even though they might not be based right at this very moment.
“My passion for audiences is for them to see themselves and their voices reflected. That can also translate to those who don’t come from a similar background but feel equally connected to our work. Our work will make you laugh, cry and very much entertain. I want the audiences coming out of a play thinking they’ve seen something that they can tell other people about!”
*Info: Kiln Theatre