Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Neil Ainger discovers a human story told with pathos and skill about the migrant experience in the UK
Each day Uday Kumar (UK) tirelessly fields call after call made to a crypto helpline in New Delhi, undeterred by every unsavoury interaction, because, he hopes, every call will bring him closer to realising his dream. He talks with his colleagues and his YouTube followers where he outlines his desires to relocate to England where the grass is definitely greener – right?
When we first meet Uday he’s already made it. His dreams have come true. He’s made Hounslow his home and considers it an idyllic paradise. He has a job in the care sector. He’s planning a trip into central London with wide-eyed, child-like enthusiasm and is keeping his followers up to date with cheery vlogs detailing his journey of a lifetime. His positivity is charming, his naivety and his mispronunciation of place names and landmarks is light-hearted and endearing. He’s living his dream.
Mohit Mathur‘s one-man play is a thoughtful, skilfully acted piece that explores important themes. Jumping between timelines, it isn’t long until Uday’s experience seems far from idyllic and he begins to lose his innocent charm. The permanent housing he’s been promised never materialises and he finds himself homeless, penniless, trapped and alone in a strange country, abandoned by the traffickers that got him there, constantly trying to evade those that would send him back to India. It provides a human experience story for a topic that doesn’t receive anywhere near enough of them.
