The Stage

The Great Extension

Published Friday 23 October 2009 at 12:10 by Lee Wilkinson

This original modernistic adult comedy brings an eclectic bunch of characters together in the London bachelor apartment of Hassan, a second generation Turk portrayed by the play’s writer Cosh Omar.

A scene from The Great Extension at Theatre Royal, Stratford East Photo: Robert Day

On the morning after a boozy night out at his cousin’s stag party, Hassan is aware that this time he has overstepped the mark in a manner that could seriously endanger his carefree playboy lifestyle. In self-denial of what he has done, Hassan claims to be unable to recall what actually happened, to the amusement of his transgender Asian houseboy (the wonderful Raj Ghatak).

The builder in charge of constructing the home extension becomes involved when a reactionist neighbour tries to interfere with the work in progress in a dispute over land rights. In this role Jack Chissick, as Mr Brown, is hilarious with his intolerance and Anglomaniac attitude, making him so agitated that he almost suffers a coronary.

Throw into the mix, a family of Pakistani Muslims from Leeds with two sisters who Mr Brown is extremely wary of. Then there is Hassan’s wealthy Sufic father and alcoholic mother paying him an unexpected visit, along with a politically correct police officer who all add comic touches to the well-written plot.

With the Islamic world and the Jewish community having a big influence on European culture, this production shows tolerance and humour deriving from different attitudes.

The bright set design by Yannis Thavoris is both well thought-out and a delightful accompaniment to this entertaining multicultural hotchpotch.