Starring Shabana Azmi (pictured above), Paul Bazely, Lolita Chakrabarti, Kulvinder Ghir, Raad Rawi, Nadim Sawalha. Directed by Indhu Rubasingham, Designer - Ruari Murchison, Lighting Designer - Mark Jonathan, Music - Nitin Sawhney, Sound Designer - Neil Alexander, Voice Work - Patsy Rodenburg.

"Likeable but under cooked" was how Patrick Marmion described it in 'The Evening Standard'. "Feels like it needs longer in the Tandoor" he finishes in his review of Tanika Gupta's new play The Waiting Room. I have to say that this is a little unfair.

Based around Priya (Shabana Azmi), the story is about her death and subsequent three-day journey to the spiritual "Waiting Room". The interim period is meant to be a catharsis of her human life, leaving her unencumbered with emotionally unresolved issues. First is Priya's relationship with her son Akash (Paul Bazely) who is a moody, nervy individual, suffering from teenage-like angst about a childhood accident. This event, which involved the death of his sister Chand, seems to have splintered the relationship with his mother and coloured his life.

Then there is Priya's relationship with her husband Pradip (Nadim Sawalha) and his best friend Firoz (Raad Rawi). Via these relationships we get a glimpse of Priya the girl and Priya the newly married immigrant. Lolita Chakrabarti is sadly miscast as Tara, Priya's daughter, the jet-setting environmental lawyer. Lolita plays the part brilliantly, but I feel she has such on-stage presence that she often over shadows the others' performances. Lolita Chakrabarti is definitely one to watch in the future.

The Waiting Room meanders through various plots and sub-plots culminating in a tensely written verbal re-enactment of Chand's accident. I have to admit to a lump in the throat and a tear or two in the eye! Obviously Tanika Gupta has the skill to enliven the most morbid of subjects - death - and bring drama into tightly written sections of the script. Her only failing is the sheer number of plots and sub-plots. The relationship between Priya and Firoz is not given enough time to mature; Pradip's reaction is simply unbelievable. Tara's story and Chand's birth are simply unnecessary. If Ms Gupta could have reigned in her imagination a little, the play could have been more powerful. It really is not necessary to emulate a Bollywood storyline!

This brings me to Kulvinder Ghir, probably best known to us for 'Goodness Gracious Me', he plays the part of film star Dilip Kumar (yes honestly!). As a sort of spiritual guide he plays his role beautifully. Sometimes over dramatic, at other times laconic, if you can suspend disbelief, he will entertain you well.

Tanika Gupta should be applauded for tackling a difficult subject like death with honesty and good attention to detail. I certainly learnt something about Bengali cremation rites. It is a pity that 'The Waiting Room' was on such a short run… certainly worth watching next time around.

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Further information about 'The Waiting Room'

The stage script to The Waiting Room is available from Faber & Faber (ISBN 0-571-20514-3, priced £4.50) Also by the same playwright, The Skeleton published by Faber & Faber (ISBN 0571 19339 0, priced £4.50)

About Tanika Gupta

Tanika Gupta is currently the Pearson Theatre Writer in Residence at the National Theatre (2000). "My first contact with the Studio (the National Theatre Studio) came in 1995, I had recently written my first stage play, Voices on the Wind, based on the life of my great uncle. I was invited to workshop the play at the Studio with a group of actors and director Indhu Rubasingham. On the strength of that, I was introduced to a number of theatre companies, among them the Soho Theatre, became their writer-in-residence and wrote my first stage commission for them, Skeleton, which was produced in 1997." Tanika Gupta went on to adapt Gita Mehta's, A River Sutra (ISBN 0749397926), which was also performed in 1997. Early in 1999, she returned to the Studio on an eight week stint to write a new play, The Waiting Room, which was first performed at the Cottesloe on 25th May 2000 as part of the NT as part of the Springboards series.

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