Full of humour and rich humanity, but with vast philosophical and political scope, A Passage To India is based on one of the great novels of the Twentieth Century.

“One cannot be friends with the English!” Harsh but clear advice – advice which Aziz chose to ignore. Now he lies in jail charged with sexual assault. Based on E. M. Forster’s masterpiece novel, this adaptation of A Passage To India poses an urgent question: how can we love one another in a world divided by culture and belief?

This question at the heart of A Passage To India challenges us today just as it did a hundred years ago. Following the acclaimed Don’t Sleep There Are Snakes (Park Theatre), the award-winning simple8 ensemble transport us to Imperial India, conjuring up the elephants and caves, courthouses and temples, with original music played live on stage by legendary composer Kuljit Bhamra.

With their new adaptation of Forster’s masterpiece and a diverse company of fourteen, simple8 finds in the past a mirror for our own divided times, carefully re-imagining this ground-breaking novel for contemporary Britain. The story of A Passage to India is vividly re-imagined by the award-winning ensemble, with direction from Sebastian Armesto and Simon Dormandy.

Simple8 have a passion for creating worlds out of nothing. Rooted in “poor theatre”, this ensemble company aim to create all atmosphere and setting of exotic locales without extravagant costumes, scenery, props or recorded sound – producing dynamic plays that tackle big ideas. This new approach to Forster’s masterpiece will transport their audience to British India with the simplest of means.

simple8’s thrilling new adaptation re-imagines the tale for contemporary Britain. Delighting in spectacle but dispensing with nostalgia and clutter, the production focuses instead on the novel’s beating heart. A Passage To India argues that friendship in a world divided is not possible “yet”; the natural question for us today is: “Is it possible now?”

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