You must have had your eyes (and ears) glued shut not to have noticed that there's a Bollywood invasion underway. Not just with the arrival of the IIFA awards in Yorkshire – but its influences are creeping into 'mainstream' cinema, popular music, adverts, even Big Brother's had its own Bollywood heroine. Now it's come to the theatre – in the form of Bollywood Jane at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. I am no expert on the genre, so it was with some trepidation that I went along to the Quarry theatre. I wasn't sure that I'd 'get it'. No need to worry. One of the clever things about the way this play is written, from my point of view, is that the central character Jane is just discovering Bollywood cinema. This means she has a lot about the films explained to her... and therefore to all us first-timers. On the other hand there were references to actors, dialogue, films that went completely over my head but drew big laughs from the more clued-up members of the audience. Everyone's a winner.  | | Jane lost in her dreams |
The main thread of story is about a single mum and her teenage daughter (Jane – played brilliantly by Nichola Burley) who've done a runner from their old home and ended up in Bradford. Jane becomes friends with Dini (another great performance, from Darren Kuppan in his professional stage debut) a local lad who works in a cinema. She loves the glamour and romance of the Bollywood films that are so different from her real life situation. This storyline provides enough laughs, tears and food for thought to fill a play – but what makes this production really special are the spectacular Bollywood-style fantasy moments. You would think they might jar against the gritty storyline but they perfectly illustrate Jane's desire to escape her problems. Big slabs of over-the-top dancing and lip-synching with colourful costumes and kitsch props. I still can't decide whether I liked the giant sunflowers or the snow scene best... Many of the dancers were recruited and trained locally after open auditions at the Playhouse and they were fantastic. They made me want to rent a Bollywood DVD, dress up in fabulous shimmery clothes and learn to dance. The Bollywood invasion is coming and I for one can't wait. Bollywood Jane is at the West Yorkshire Playhouse until Saturday 30 June 2007. | 
