Inspired by true events, Emteaz Hussain’s Expendable tells the story of the Sharifs; A British-Pakistani family living in a small, close-knit town, headed by matriarchal sisters Yasmin and Zara. Over 90 minutes, we spend an evening in Zara’s home, privy to experience first-hand the aftermath of her family’s alleged involvement in a community-wide sexual abuse scandal.
Zara’s son, Raheel has been wrongly accused of being a part of a grooming circle and is now a target for Islamaphobic vigilantes. Her daughter, Sofia, has become hell-bent on becoming a full-time activist under the vision of her uncle rather than finishing her A-Levels. Her next-door neighbour Jade just wants to talk, and her sister Yasmin is back after years of silence, with a mission of freeing Zara from her internalised shame.
Set against the backdrop of 2011 Northern England, this piece invites us to witness the complex and multifaceted ways in which Pakistani women and girls specifically suffered before, during, and after these scandals, with discrimination coming from every angle. The arguments that are raised here are carefully and compassionately navigated, presenting several different viewpoints amongst the characters to create a relatable and authentic dynamic.
At times though, it does come across as though these themes have been put ahead of the story, and the themes themselves are not simple to unpack. As a result, the plot gets a little lost in vague references to prior events as we wade through the sea of socio-political discourse. While this is probably an accurate depiction of the dialogue that would have been happening inside these households, and brings some much-needed attention to the very fact that these stories didn’t receive nearly enough at the time, the lack of clear exposition does make it a tad confusing to follow.
Fortunately, the strength of the performances from Avita Jay and Lena Kaur in particular bring us right back to their characters’ reality. Their depiction of the ever-opposing but unbreakable bond between sisters is magic.
In support of this pure realism, Natasha Jenkins’ set design is spectacular. As soon as you step inside the Royal Court’s adaptable upstairs studio space, every inch is meticulously detailed to create this perfect replica of a northern mum’s kitchen, enveloping the audience on all sides, right down to the double door entryway at the back of the performance space that is so accurate to your average city outskirt English home. You are quite literally made to feel as though you are ‘part of the furniture’; a part of the community that this piece gives a voice to.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (Good)
Expendable is at the Royal Court Theatre, London, until 21 December 2024
