Hollywood needs to up its game. On average it produces about 600 films a year, and to quote Matthew McConaughey, “Those are rookie numbers.” In terms of film production, Hollywood is insignificant in comparison to Bollywood and Indian cinema, which produced nearly 2,000 films in 2017 alone. Yet despite the enormous scale of the industry abroad, it is difficult to see these films without hunting down independent cinemas.

Fortunately, having toured the world since 2013 (with no sign of stopping) Taj Express has finally come to the Hippodrome to give us a taste of Bollywood. It follows the story of composer Shankar, who is writing the score for a new Bollywood movie, desperately trying to live up to the music of his idol, A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire). Jumping between the creative process and scenes from the film performed live, we see the story come to life with Shankar’s score, hoping that it will be well-received.

Having never seen a Bollywood film before, this was an experience in itself. The best way to describe it would be a show filled with gratuitous dance numbers in the same way action films are filled with gratuitous violence. While Taj Express does poke fun at Bollywood tropes, it is entirely unapologetic and embraces every moment of the spectacle, no matter how absurd, and that’s what makes it such an incredible show.

The choreography is beautiful and so slick that it would easily give Western musicals a run for their money. Watching the enormous cast performing is an absolute pleasure, and you can tell it’s as much a pleasure for them as well. Some dance shows take themselves seriously, which can make them inaccessible. But given that this show aims to share a culture rarely seen in mainstream theatres, it makes it very easy for everyone to enjoy without the need to excessively pander to achieve this.

Thankfully the minimalistic set meant the cast and costumes could take centre stage. Even the flashy lighting was carefully chosen to enhance the experience rather than take over. You can tell that every ounce of care has gone into every element of this piece, and it creates an unforgettable experience.

I have said this before, and I will say it again, there is great value in seeing something different in the theatre. It may be nice to rewatch classics such as Les Miserables, but if we linger on their nostalgia, gems like Taj Express won’t get their time in the limelight. Particularly as Birmingham is such a multicultural city, it is fantastic to see shows like this here. And you can bet your bottom dollar I will be watching Bollywood movies all this week: there is simply nothing quite like it!

★★★★★  Jeremy Ulster   12^th September 2018