HAMPSTEAD DOWNSTAIRS / CELIA ATKIN PRESENT

LOTUS BEAUTY

By SATINDER CHOHAN
Directed by POOJA GHAI

Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes, including an interval

£5 - £20 (See ticket information)

Women come, women go. We pamper them, preen them, make them beautiful. Make small talk. Never know what’s really under their skin.

Downstairs

19 - 25 May 2022
£5 - £20

Box Office: 020 7722 9301

Details

★★★★ ‘A poignant look at the human need to fit in… a triumph’ WhatsOnStage
★★★★ 'Very much speaks to our times...the all-female cast is superb, brimming with energy throughout' The Understudy
★★★★ 'One of the year’s finest plays... Humour and deep emotion blend seamlessly in a comedy-drama that is wonderfully staged in an intimate setting' Eastern Eye
‘Relentlessly honest, it peels back hidden layers of what it means to be Asian and female in modern Britain… demands attention’ The Stage
‘Breathtaking... The cast is uniformly excellent’ The Arts Desk
'The acting is first rate... it goes without saying that more such productions will be welcome' Broadway World


Lotus Beauty follows the intertwined lives of five multigenerational women, inviting us into Reita’s salon where clients can wax lyrical about their day’s tiny successes or have their struggles massaged, plucked or tweezed away. But with honest truths and sharp-witted barbs high among the treatments on offer, will the power of community be enough to raise the spirits of everyone who passes through the salon doors?

Over a decade ago, Satinder Chohan's Crossing The Line played at Hampstead as one of the theatre's young company productions. Since then, her credits have included Zameen (Kali Theatre), Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi (Pursued By A Bear/Kali Theatre), Half of Me and Made in India (Tamasha).

Artistic Director of Tamasha, Pooja Ghai directs her first production at Hampstead. A former Associate of Theatre Royal Stratford East, previous credits include Lions and Tigers (Globe Theatre), Approaching Empty (Tamasha, Kiln Theatre, Live Theatre), Rapunzel, Counting Stars and The House of in Between (all Stratford East).

The cast features Anshula Bain (Tartuffe, Birmingham Rep; (This Isn't) A True Story, Almeida Theatre); Souad Faress (The Archers, BBC; Game of Thrones, HBO), Zainab Hasan (The Welkin, National Theatre; Shakespeare Trilogy, Donmar Warehouse), Ulrika Krishnamurti (Pink Sari Revolution, Curve Theatre/Belgrade Theatre/West Yorkshire Playhouse; Made in India, Tamasha Theatre Company) and Kiran Landa (Line of Duty, BBC; Extinct, Theatre Royal Stratford East).

Lotus Beauty is presented by Hampstead Downstairs/Celia Atkin, in association with Tamasha Theatre Company.

Tamasha master logo Colour fade 1

OFFIES


Our promise to you

In the event of Lotus Beauty being postponed, you can choose between a full refund or credit to be used for any show at Hampstead.

Hampstead Theatre is delighted to open Lotus Beauty following Government advice. As always, our audience, company and staff are our top priority. For more information about how we’re keeping you safe, please click here.


We present entertaining and original theatre, and we want you to have the best experience possible. We understand that, as part of this, some audience members may appreciate additional guidance on the content of our plays. Click here for more information.


An Audio Accompaniment is available for this production. This is a pre-recorded introduction describing the set, characters and costumes and includes an interview with the cast.

Click here to listen to Lotus Beauty Audio Accompaniment

LB Twitter

DSCF6119

Reviews
  • WhatsOnStage

    'Satinder Kaur Chohan's new play, which captures the kinds of intimate conversations that happen in a beauty parlour for South Asian women, has been 15 years in the making.'

    'Each of the women's lives are governed by how good others think they look – a fraught question when cultural ideas of beauty may differ wildly between, say, India and the UK.'

    'Their stories unfold through chat, gossip, and argument. This repartee was inspired by Chohan's own experiences of salons in Southall, and is made zingy by director Pooja Ghai.'

    'Lotus Beauty is a poignant look at the human need to fit in... Its triumph is to create a believable ‘safe space' in which women can talk and share stories – despite their different ages and backgrounds.'

    Click here to visit the WhatsOnStage website to read the full review.

    Lotus Beauty at Hampstead Theatre – review
    ,
  • The Understudy

    'Satinder Chohan’s new play, Lotus Beauty, is all about contrasts: Young and old, beautiful and ugly, funny and tragic. The performance space in Hampstead Downstairs is intimate and simple: Ambient light infuses the set, which depicts a garishly pink beauty salon in Southall. The Ringham Brothers provide an evocative soundtrack, bringing the salon to life whether through the whirring of trains overhead or the pattering of rain outside.'

    'The all-female cast is superb, brimming with energy throughout, whether it be in the risqué banter of the play’s first half or the fiery arguments of the second half, when contrasting world views meet in a collision...'

    'Although this play is set within the confines of a small beauty salon, it stands as a microcosm for the experiences of women of colour across this island.'

    Click here to visit The Understudy website to read the full review.

    Review: Lotus Beauty, Hampstead Theatre
    ,
  • Eastern Eye

    'The accomplished play, powered by a female cast and creative team, is driven by a free-flowing feminine energy. Humour and deep emotion blend seamlessly in a comedy-drama that is wonderfully staged in an intimate setting. The various sub-plots come together nicely to show different sides of the British Asian female experience across three generations, through unique characters. There are some hilarious one-liners, but also moments that take the audiences by surprise and raw emotions that bubble to the surface.'

    '...one of the year’s finest theatre plays'

    Click here to visit the Eastern Eye website to read the full review.

    Review: ‘Lotus Beauty’ cleverly captures cross-generational female experiences
    ,
Cast

Artistic team

WRITER

SATINDER CHOHAN

DIRECTOR

POOJA GHAI

DESIGNER

ROSA MAGGIORA

LIGHTING

MATT HASKINS

SOUND

THE RINGHAM BROTHERS

COSTUME SUPERVISOR

MALENA ARCUCCI

DIALECT*

GURKIRAN KAUR

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR*

CASSIA THAKKAR

 

*Roles supported by Tamasha Theatre Company

Cast

News

LOTUS BEAUTY ON WOMAN'S HOUR

Posted on 30 May 2022

Lotus Beauty director Pooja Ghai and Kiran Landa (Reita) spoke to BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour about the play, running Downstairs until 18 June.

LOTUS BEAUTY: REVIEWS ROUND-UP

Posted on 30 May 2022

See what reviewers have been saying about Satinder Chohan' 'poignant' and 'superb' new play, directed by Pooja Ghai

POOJA GHAI INTERVIEWED BY BBC RADIO 3 FREE THINKING

Posted on 18 May 2022

Lotus Beauty director Pooja Ghai spoke to BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking about the play, running Downstairs until 18 June.

HAMPSTEAD THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE FULL CAST & CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SATINDER CHOHAN’S LOTUS BEAUTY, DIRECTED BY POOJA GHAI

Posted on 12 April 2022

Hampstead Theatre is delighted to announce the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Satinder Chohan’s new play, Lotus Beauty. Directed by Pooja Ghai, Lotus Beauty will run at Hampstead Downstairs, in association with Tamasha Theatre Company, from 13 May until 18 June 2022.

LOTUS BEAUTY DIRECTOR POOJA GHAI INTERVIEWED BY THE GUARDIAN

Posted on 12 January 2022

Pooja Ghai, director of the upcoming Lotus Beauty and Artistic Director of Tamasha Theatre Company, speaks to The Guardian.

THREE WORLD PREMIERES ANNOUNCED FOR HAMPSTEAD DOWNSTAIRS

Posted on 11 January 2022

Hampstead Theatre is delighted to announce three world premieres for its Downstairs space in 2022.

Tickets

First five performances: All tickets £5
Performances thereafter: £20
Seniors*: £12 (matinee only)
Under 30s and Students: £10
Access: £6

*Ages 60+

Content Warnings

CONTENT WARNINGS - LOTUS BEAUTY

The play contains strong language.

The play contains references to suicide, sexual assault, abortion and domestic violence.

Video and Image Gallery

ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI & KIRAN LANDA Photo by Robert Day ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI & KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Robert Day
ZAINAB HASAN, ANSHULA BAIN & KIRAN LANDA Photo by Chiara Wakely ZAINAB HASAN, ANSHULA BAIN & KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Chiara Wakely
SOUAD FARESS Photo by Chiara Wakely SOUAD FARESSPhoto by Chiara Wakely
KIRAN LANDA & ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI Photo by Chiara Wakely KIRAN LANDA & ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTIPhoto by Chiara Wakely
ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI Photo by Chiara Wakely ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTIPhoto by Chiara Wakely
SOUAD FARESS, KIRAN LANDA & POOJA GHAI Photo by Chiara Wakely SOUAD FARESS, KIRAN LANDA & POOJA GHAIPhoto by Chiara Wakely
ZAINAB HASAN, KIRAN LANDA & ANSHULA BAIN Photo by Chiara Wakely ZAINAB HASAN, KIRAN LANDA & ANSHULA BAINPhoto by Chiara Wakely
POOJA GHAI Photo by Chiara Wakely POOJA GHAIPhoto by Chiara Wakely
SOUAD FARESS & ZAINAB HASAN Photo by Chiara Wakely SOUAD FARESS & ZAINAB HASANPhoto by Chiara Wakely
KIRAN LANDA & ZAINAB HASAN Photo by Chiara Wakely KIRAN LANDA & ZAINAB HASANPhoto by Chiara Wakely
ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI Photo by Chiara Wakely ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTIPhoto by Chiara Wakely
SATINDER CHOHAN Photo by Chiara Wakely SATINDER CHOHANPhoto by Chiara Wakely
SOUAD FARESS, ANSHULA BAIN, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDA Photo by Chiara Wakely SOUAD FARESS, ANSHULA BAIN, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Chiara Wakely
ANSHULA BAIN & SOUAD FARESS Photo by Chiara Wakely ANSHULA BAIN & SOUAD FARESSPhoto by Chiara Wakely
SATINDER CHOHAN & POOJA GHAI Photo by Chiara Wakely SATINDER CHOHAN & POOJA GHAIPhoto by Chiara Wakely
KIRAN LANDA Photo by Robert Day KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Robert Day
ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI Photo by Robert Day ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTIPhoto by Robert Day
ANSHULA BAIN, ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDA Photo by Robert Day ANSHULA BAIN, ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Robert Day
ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI, ANSHULA BAIN, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDA Photo by Robert Day ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI, ANSHULA BAIN, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Robert Day
ANSHULA BAIN Photo by Robert Day ANSHULA BAINPhoto by Robert Day
ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTI Photo by Robert Day ULRIKA KRISHNAMURTIPhoto by Robert Day
ZAINAB HASAN Photo by Robert Day ZAINAB HASANPhoto by Robert Day
SOUAD FARESS Photo by Robert Day SOUAD FARESSPhoto by Robert Day
ANSHULA BAIN, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDA Photo by Robert Day ANSHULA BAIN, ZAINAB HASAN & KIRAN LANDAPhoto by Robert Day

KEEPING YOU SAFE AT HAMPSTEAD

1 Social Distanced 1

RESPECT PERSONAL SPACE

2 MASKS REQUIRED 1

FACE MASKS ENCOURAGED

4 STATE OF THE ART VENTILATION 1

STATE OF THE ART VENTILATION

5 ENHANCED CLEANING 1

ENHANCED CLEANING

7 CONTACTLESS TICKETS 1

CONTACTLESS TICKETS

8 HAND SANITIZING STATIONS 2

HAND SANITISING STATIONS

9 CASHLESS PAYMENT 1

CASHLESS PAYMENT