{"id":19274,"date":"2016-11-25T12:24:25","date_gmt":"2016-11-25T12:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/?p=19274"},"modified":"2016-11-25T12:24:25","modified_gmt":"2016-11-25T12:24:25","slug":"rifco-announce-harvey-virdis-miss-meena-masala-queens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/2016\/11\/25\/rifco-announce-harvey-virdis-miss-meena-masala-queens\/","title":{"rendered":"Rifco Announce Harvey Virdi’s: Miss Meena & the Masala Queens"},"content":{"rendered":"

R<\/span>ifco<\/strong> Artistic Director Pravesh Kumar<\/strong> announced the UK tour of the world premi\u00e8re Miss Meena & the Masala Queens<\/em><\/strong>, written by Harvey Virdi<\/strong>. This renews the collaboration between Rifco<\/strong> and Virdi<\/strong>, following on from the success of Happy Birthday Sunita<\/em> and Meri Christmas<\/em>. The production opens at Watford Palace Theatre<\/strong> on 9 May 2017 before touring to Warwick Arts Centre<\/strong>, Nuffield Southampton Theatres<\/strong> and the West Yorkshire Playhouse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A new piece inspired by the British Asian drag queen community, created in consultation with LGBTQ community, will uncover the untold stories of men who choose a female persona by night. Behind the sparkling costumes and big Bollywood style lip-sync dance numbers Miss Meena & the Masala Queens<\/em><\/strong> will reveal a very human story about the meaning of family.<\/p>\n

Pravesh Kumar<\/strong> said \u201cI\u2019ve always planned that Rifco would tour a play that puts LGBTQ issues at the centre of the story. As a British Asian theatre-maker, it’s always been really important to me that we continue to tell untold stories and give unrepresented voices a platform and make work that provokes as well as entertains.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harvey Virdi<\/strong> has worked on a number of Rifco productions as a writer and performer. Writing credits for the company include Meri Christmas<\/em> and Happy Birthday Sunita<\/em>. Acting credits for the company include There<\/em>\u2019<\/em>s Something About Simmy<\/em>, Meri Christmas<\/em>, The Deranged Marriage<\/em> and Airport 2000. <\/em>Virdi has worked e\"miss-meena\"<\/a>xtensively as a performer on stage and screen. Recent theatre acting credits include The Borrowers<\/em> (Sherman Theatre), The White Devil<\/em>, Roaring Girl Season<\/em> and Arabian Nights<\/em> (all RSC), Tiger Country<\/em> and Tales From The Harrow Road<\/em> (Hampstead Theatre), England People Very Nice<\/em> and The Threepenny Opera<\/em> (National Theatre). Her acting work for television includes Citizen Khan<\/em> (on going), The Kumars<\/em>, Lucky Man<\/em> and Class Dismissed<\/em>; and for film, Honour<\/em>, Jadoo<\/em>, Brick Lane<\/em>, Bend It Like Beckham<\/em> and Thunderbirds<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Artistic Director of Rifco Pravesh Kumar <\/strong>directs. He started the company in 1999 to make a different kind of theatre for a community that could not see themselves represented on English stages. Before setting up Rifco, Kumar worked extensively\u00a0in Mumbai\u2019s film and television industry, as an assistant director and writer.\u00a0His theatrical directorial debut was in 1999 with a UK tour of Bollywood – Yet Another Love Story<\/em>, which opened to packed houses at The Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. He has gone on to achieve critical acclaim for Rifco\u2019s award-winning productions: Laila The Musical, Britain\u2019s Got Bhangra<\/em>, Happy Birthday Sunita<\/em>, It Ain\u2019t All Bollywood<\/em>, There\u2019s Something About Simmy<\/em>, Airport 2000<\/em>, Meri Christmas<\/em>, Where\u2019s My Desi Soulmate?, The Deranged Marriage <\/em>and Break The Floorboards<\/em>. His first short film, Gods On Mountains <\/em>was shot entirely on location in the Himalayas and was nominated for the Satyajit Ray Short Film Award in 2009. He was Associate Director on the musical Wah! Wah! Girls<\/em>, which opened in the West End as part of World Stages London\u00a0for the 2012 Olympics. He also writes and directs MummyJi Presents<\/em>, a live theatre variety show and digital show, which was originally commissioned by The Space, a collaboration between the BBC and\u00a0Arts Council England.<\/p>\n

RIFCO<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

O<\/span>ver the last 17 years Rifco has gained a reputation for attracting a British Asian audience to regional theatres for the very first time. The work is vibrant, entertaining and ambitious and reflects and celebrates contemporary British Asian culture, society and experiences. The company is inspired by untold stories and under-represented voices, but most of all tells stories about a universal theme \u2013 the family. This is at the root of Rifco\u2019s success in connecting strongly with its core audience.<\/p>\n

Productions have toured to venues such as Warwick Arts Centre, The Curve Leicester, Theatre Royal Stratford East, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Theatre Royal Windsor, The Drum, Oldham Coliseum, The Orchard Dartford, Oxford Playhouse, Hackney Empire, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, NCPA Mumbai, Habitat Centre and DUCTAC Dubai.<\/p>\n

Rifco\u2019s awards include Best Live Event – Break The Floorboards<\/em>, Asian Media Awards 2013 and The People\u2019s Favourite Musical – Britain\u2019s Got Bhangra<\/em>, Off West End Theatre Awards 2011.<\/p>\n

Rifco are an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.<\/p>\n

WATFORD PALACE THEATRE<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

W<\/span>atford Palace Theatre is a 21st<\/sup>\u00a0century producing theatre, making new work across the art forms of theatre, dance, outdoor arts and digital, and developing audiences, artists and communities through exciting opportunities\u00a0to participate.\u00a0In 2015 it won the\u00a0UK Theatre award for Promotion of Diversity.<\/p>\n

Watford Palace Theatre commissions and produces plays from a range of new and established writers. Recent premieres include; Poppy + George<\/em> by Diane Samuels,\u00a0Coming Up<\/em>\u00a0by Neil D\u2019Souza,\u00a0Jefferson\u2019s Garden<\/em>\u00a0by Timberlake Wertenbaker;\u00a0Love Me Do<\/em>\u00a0by Laurence Marks and\u00a0Maurice Gran; An Intervention<\/em>\u00a0by Mike Bartlett (in co-production with Paines Plough);\u00a0Shiver<\/em>\u00a0by Daniel Kanaber; the Ideal World season of three new plays –\u00a0Perfect Match<\/em>\u00a0by Gary Owen,\u00a0Virgin<\/em>\u00a0by E.V.Crowe (in co-production with nabokov),\u00a0Override<\/em>\u00a0by Stacey Gregg;\u00a0Jumpers for Goalposts<\/em>\u00a0by Tom Wells (in co-production with Paines Plough and Hull Truck Theatre);\u00a0Our Brother David<\/em>\u00a0by Anthony Clark;\u00a0Our Father<\/em>\u00a0by Charlotte Keatley; and\u00a0Family Business<\/em>\u00a0by Julian Mitchell.<\/p>\n

Creative Associates are central to Watford Palace Theatre\u2019s vision these include Resident Companies Rifco and Tiata Fahodzi; Mahogany Opera Group: Scamp Theatre; Kate Flatt; Shona Morris; Charlotte Keatley; Gary Owen; Alice Birch and Timberlake Wertenbaker.<\/p>\n

WARWICK ARTS CENTRE<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

W<\/span>arwick Arts Centre in Coventry is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. An award-winning, multi-artform venue, Warwick Arts Centre inspires people through the arts, culture, entertainment and learning.<\/p>\n

One of the largest arts venues in the UK, Warwick Arts Centre opened in 1974 and welcomes over a million visitors every year. It makes meaningful, life-long connections with the local community and is a distinctive voice in the national and international arts world.<\/p>\n

Situated on the campus of the University of Warwick, its work enhances the exceptional learning experience at the University and supports its strategic vision. With a high quality programme of scale and impact, Warwick Arts Centre is an open-minded, ambitious and dedicated advocate of all art forms.<\/p>\n

LISTINGS \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Miss Meena & the Masala Queens<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watford Palace Theatre<\/strong><\/p>\n

5 – 13 May<\/p>\n

Press night: Tuesday 9 May, 7pm<\/p>\n

Post show talk Thursday 11 May<\/p>\n

Box Office: 01923 225671<\/p>\n

www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk<\/p>\n

\n

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry<\/strong><\/p>\n

16 – 20 May<\/p>\n

7.30pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm<\/p>\n

Box Office: 024 7652 4524<\/p>\n

www.warwickartscentre.co.uk<\/p>\n

\n

NST Campus, Southampton<\/strong><\/p>\n

6 – 10 June<\/p>\n

7.30pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm<\/p>\n

Post show talk Wednesday 7 June<\/p>\n

Box Office: 023 8067 1771<\/p>\n

www.nstheatres.co.uk<\/p>\n

\n

West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds <\/strong><\/p>\n

13 – 17 June<\/p>\n

7.30pm, Thursday matinee 1.30pm, Saturday matinee 2pm<\/p>\n

Post show talk Wednesday 14 June<\/p>\n

Box Office: 0113 213 7700<\/p>\n

www.wyp.org.uk<\/p>\n

\n

Website: www.rifcoarts.com\/shows\/miss-meena-the-masala-queens<\/a><\/p>\n

Twitter: @RifcoArts<\/p>\n

Instagram: @RifcoArts1<\/p>\n

Youtube: RifcoArts1<\/p>\n

Facebook: @RifcoArts1<\/p>\n

Join the conversation: #MasalaQueens<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rifco Artistic Director Pravesh Kumar announced the UK tour of the world premi\u00e8re Miss Meena & the Masala Queens, written by Harvey Virdi. This renews the collaboration between Rifco and Virdi, following on from the success of Happy Birthday Sunita and Meri Christmas. The production opens at Watford Palace Theatre on 9 May 2017 before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":19276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,51,53,37,112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-desixpress","category-events","category-latest","category-local-news","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19274"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19274\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}