Coming to Theatre503 this February is Anglo-Indian writer Ruth D’Silva’s debut feature play Bungalow. Shortlisted in 2023 for the RSC’s 37 Plays Folio, Bungalow explores the secrets we keep, the duty of care and the burden of shame within a modern Anglo-Indian family as an adult daughter returns to her childhood home.
The play serves as a powerful exploration of inherited trauma and conflict between two generations, whose relationships have been shaped and fractured by decades of unspoken truths. As these secrets emerge, the very foundation of their home – Bungalow – begins to crack under the weight of all that has been kept hidden within its walls. The star-studded cast will feature Lydia Bakelmun (Antigone, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; The Ballad of Maria Marten, Eastern Angles) as Agatha, Fisun Burgess (PRU, BBC Three; Casualty, BBC One; Honour, ITV) in the role of Bernadette, Mikhael DeVille (Grace, ITV; We Are Lady Parts, Channel 4; Doctors, BBC One) as Luke and Jack Bence (Bad Education, BBC Three; Peep Show, Channel 4; EastEnders, BBC One) as Steven.
D’Silva’s trenchant and moving story centres around 40-something Agatha, who returns to the family bungalow as her father nears the end of his life. Agatha feels a responsibility to be with her elderly mother, Bernadette, but her attempts at care aren’t always welcome and her mother resists the shifting balance of power between them. As Agatha tries to engineer an opportunity to speak candidly about her experiences growing up, she finds conversations derailed by Bernadette, who is in denial about the past as well as the future. In the bungalow, however, truth has a funny way of coming out, and Agatha has to confront her family’s complicity in the abuse she has suffered.
Bungalow will be directed by Beth Kapila (Our Streets, Tara Theatre; When The Sea Swallows Us Whole, VAULT Festival), and produced by Jessie Anand Productions (This Might Not Be It, Bush Theatre; Orlando, 59E59 New York).
Ruth D’Silva, Writer, comments, Bungalow is a tender and ferocious exploration of how memories and secrets bind a family. I’m thrilled to bring this story to life at Theatre503, where their intimate, magical stage will transport audiences to a world of nostalgia, mystery, and ultimate redemption. I’m deeply grateful to the tiny powerhouse Theatre503 for their trust, and proud to add my own voice to their vibrant community of bold storytellers.
