Photo Flash: Inside Rehearsal For The World Premiere Of Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's DISHOOM

Rifco Theatre Company, in a co-production with Watford Palace Theatre and Oldham Coliseum Theatre, presents the UK tour of the world première production of Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's Dishoom!. Artistic Director Pravesh Kumar directs, and, after working with Rifco Theatre Company over the last year, 17-year-old Bilal Khan makes his professional stage debut in the lead role of Simon.

Opening at Watford Palace Theatre on Tuesday 18 September, with previews from Wednesday 12, it will then tour to Queens Theatre Hornchurch, Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Warwick Arts Centre before concluding its run at Derby Theatre on Saturday 27 October.

Featuring songs from the smash hit Bollywood film Sholay, this comedy drama follows Simon and his friends as they find their inner superhero and set out to change the world together.

Pravesh Kumar said today "Gurpreet's funny, heart-warming and political new play shines a spotlight on attitudes to disability in the South Asian community, something we really need to talk about. I am thrilled to be working with Bilal Khan who will be making his debut in a leading role on our main stage tour. 2018 is an important moment for the UK and this story, set in 1978, with the rise of the right and attitudes to difference on the up. A bleak reminder of history on repeat."

Bilal Khan added, "I can't wait to start my first professional acting journey with this leading British Asian theatre company. Pravesh and the team have been really supportive throughout this opportunity from assistance with my touring needs to professional development workshops. I am honoured to be involved with this brilliant piece of new writing."

Summer 1978, Simon and his friends should be looking forward to leaving school, but the National Front are on the streets, Simon's Bibi is ashamed of him and his Dad spends his life hiding in the pub.

When Simon's cousin Baljit comes to stay, she introduces him to the Bollywood classic, Sholay. Inspired by the film's dynamic duo, Jai and Veeru, Simon and Baljit find their inner superheroes and set out to change their world forever.

Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti has written extensively for stage, screen and radio. Her first play Behsharam (Shameless) broke box office records at Soho Theatre and the Birmingham Rep. Behzti (Dishonour) was sensationally closed after protests at the Birmingham Rep in December 2004. Behzti won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the play was then translated into French and did sell-out tours in France and Belgium. Behud (Beyond Belief) was co-produced by Soho Theatre and Coventry Belgrade and shortlisted for the John Whiting Award. Khandan had a sell-out run at the Birmingham Rep before transferring to the Royal Court. Recent credits include Elephant, Birmingham Rep; Fourteen, Watford Palace Theatre; the feature film Everywhere and Nowhere; Dci Stone, Radio 4; Londonee, Rich Mix; Dead Meat, Channel 4 and An Enemy of The People (BBC World Service). She is a Creative Associate at Watford Palace Theatre and a member of the writing team of The Archers. Her first collection of plays, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti: PLAYS ONE, is published by Oberon Books.

Bilal Khan plays Simon and this marks his professional stage debut. Khan himself was born with cerebral palsy and will be taking on the role of a young man with a disability who is struggling to find his place in the world around him.

Artistic Director of Rifco Pravesh Kumar directs Dishoom. He started the company in 1999 to make a different kind of theatre for a community that could not see themselves represented on English stages. His theatrical directorial debut was in 1999 with a UK tour of Bollywood - Yet Another Love Story, which opened to packed houses at The Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. He has gone on to achieve critical acclaim for Rifco's productions: Pyar Actually, Miss Meena & the Masala Queens, Laila The Musical, Britain's Got Bhangra, Happy Birthday Sunita, It Ain't All Bollywood, There's Something About Simmy, Airport 2000, Meri Christmas, Where's My Desi Soulmate?, The Deranged Marriage and Break The Floorboards. His first short film, Gods On Mountains was shot entirely on location in the Himalayas and was nominated for the Satyajit Ray Short Film Award in 2009. He was Associate Director on the musical Wah! Wah! Girls, which opened in the West End as part of World Stages. He also writes and directs MummyJi Presents, a live theatre variety digital show, which was originally commissioned by The Space, a collaboration between the BBC and Arts Council England. Pravesh is currently writing a new main stage musical and leads on the Rifco Associate programme.

Photo Credit: Minyahil K Giorgis

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