A student’s view on the Year 12 English and Drama trip to The P Word by Waleed Aktar at the Bush Theatre
By Emily H, 12AMZ
To call this play an emotional rollercoaster feels inadequate for the true range of emotions it conveys. From the highs of first love to the lows of family trauma, ‘The P Word’ is a complex and enthralling drama that does so much more than simply entertain.
It is important to see this play to better understand the queer experience – not only does Akhtar capture the intersectionality of being queer and brown with a sensitively observant lens but it exposes the difficulties, persecutions and exploitations so many queer people face while simply trying to exist in today’s society. Meanwhile, the play is hilarious, with perfectly placed humor like breaths of fresh air and genuinely comedic moments that got everyone laughing.
The acting is excellent – it is extremely difficult to capture the entire audience throughout any play, let alone an hour and a half production staged in the round. Undertaking the immensely challenging task of projecting every movement, expression and gesture so every person can see it when they are seated in a circle proved no match for Waleed Akhtar (Billy) and Esh Alladi (Zafar). The characters they portray are loveable and sympathetic, acting as perfect microcosms for the play’s message.
Getting through this play without crying is quite the challenge, and I saw many of my classmates wiping away tears at the play’s tender moments. Reaching the ending, I was actually sobbing, realising no other play had made me feel that way. From the level of enjoyment I got from it, to its entertainment value, to its emotional moments, this is a play that is the closest to perfection I have seen in a long time.