Snookered probes into the lives of young Muslim men
and their fragile masculinity, burdened by cultural
expectations yet charged with personal dreams. In a
volatile political climate, Ishy Din opens a timely
window into a strand of British Muslim life that often
remains unseen. The plot follows four friends who, every
year, meet on the anniversary of their mate's death for
a game of pool and a few drinks. As they excavate the
past and measure their own lives, secrets are revealed
and allegiances shift as quickly as the drinks are
downed. Can they put to rest their guilt over the
untimely death of their friend? And will their
friendship survive the final betrayal? One of the very
few plays written both by and about British Muslims,
Snookered explores their camaraderie, life decisions,
and their self identity within their close-knit Muslim
community of extended families and network of friends.
The sharp, pace-filled dialogue captures the
Punjabi-English urban patois that is currently
developing in northern towns but is rarely seen onstage.
The result is that the characters are both alive and
relevant, and moments of sharp wit collide with
emotionally searing exchanges. Developed by the theatre
company Tamasha, whose manifesto is to explore British
Asian perspectives and identities, Snookered is unafraid
to feature difficult and significant themes such as
religion, drug addiction, misogyny, poverty and racism.
Against this backdrop, Snookered is first and foremost a
psychologically detailed but razor-sharp depiction of
young men finding their paths in life, whilst navigating
what it means to be young, British and Muslim.
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