Review: Run Rebel at the Lowry is ‘a gripping examination of life as a South Asian woman’

Run Rebel is a gripping and emotional play that showcases the life of three generations of South Asian women.

As you walk in, there is Punjabi pop classics playing and I could not help but dance. It set the stage of this being a South Asian story and you know what you are walking into.

Run Rebel at the Lowry

We take our seats and the show begins. I had no prior knowledge of this play, and I am glad I did not. I was very pleasantly surprised.

For anyone who is like me and needs a little rundown, I’ve got you. Run Rebel follows the life of Amber Rai, a 15-year-old who dreams of becoming a runner.

Unfortunately, her very strict father stops these dreams, and we see Amber rebel against her own family.

Sensational sounds from Yvonne Gilbert

Yvonne Gilbert supplies the sound for the play, and she did a terrific job! She uses different sounds to showcase the way Amber is feeling, and it helps the audience to feel what she is feeling too.

For example, there is a moment when Amber is almost having a panic attack, and the sound drowns out and turns into a high-pitched screech. One of my favourite sounds, is when a very famous Bollywood song, (Ek Do Theen) is transformed and distorted into a sinister song that no longer young South
Asians will relate with a happy memory.

It was very inventive and creative.

Jessica Kaur as Amber

Jessica Kaur plays Amber, and she holds all the cards in her hands. She commands the stage, and she is the main character, so we feel everything she is feeling.

The brilliant thing about Amber, is that she is not perfect. She is a highly flawed character that showcases the way a 15-year-old with a troubled home life would act like.

She is also our narrator, and she does a brilliant job and keeping the audience in the loop of her story and directing the play.

Asha Kingsley plays Amber’s mum, Surinder and she is phenomenal. She brings the timidness and reluctance a woman in domestic household would feel. But she also brings the bravery and the joy that these same women have.

There was a moment when we got to hear her story, and it was refreshing to hear another point of view. It helped fill in the gaps of the story and gave her character more depth and history.

Simran Kular as Ruby

Simran Kular plays Ruby, Amber’s older sister. Now, she brought me to tears and I have not quite recovered.

She is the first rebel of the family, but ultimately, gets scared and she stays. But throughout the play, you see Ruby getting the courage to stand against their father and to stand by their mother.

Kular brings the big sister energy to the stage, and she reminded me a little bit of my sister.

She also got a moment to tell her side of the story, and it also filled in gaps which were needed.

Tickets for Run Rebel at the Lowry

Run Rebel is a play worth watching for the tears, laughs and all emotions in-between.

Run Rebel is playing until the 2nd of November at The Lowry and you can book tickets here