The smash-hit comedy-drama returns home for its 25th anniversary.

George Khan wants to raise his family the proper Pakistani way but hasn’t counted on the distractions of 70s Salford. Abdul and Tariq aren’t ready to be married off, Saleem is pushing artistic boundaries, Meenah’s skirt is too short and Sajit just wants to hide in his parka. Can mum Ella keep the family together?

Since premiering on The REP’s stage in 1996, East Is East has sold out three London runs, been adapted into a BAFTA Award-winning film and become a modern classic of comic-drama. Rediscover this joyous play where it all began.

“On the 8th of October 1996, at 7:45, I sat in the studio of The REP, quietly crapping myself! It was the first performance of East Is East. I’d managed to get time off work to travel up for the first previews and press night, little did I know that my life was going to change so completely after this evening. I wondered if an autobiographical play about my life growing up in a bi-racial family would appeal to anyone outside of my immediate circle. The night was sparkling… The response from the audience was tremendous.

The first review I read was from the Birmingham press, and I’ve never forgotten it, I didn’t realise it at the time how prescient it would prove to be; it read, “Hamlet is not a play about Danes, and the same can be said of East Is East” 25 years on, and the play has been performed all over the world, in many languages to many different cultures. Now here we are, on the 25th anniversary, back where it all started and I couldn’t be more thrilled or excited, it’s like coming home.” Ayub Khan Din