A Fine Balance

India, 1975: A callous government has declared a State of Emergency. In these uncertain times, Dina Dalal – a spirited Parsi widow determined to avoid a second marriage – takes a student boarder and two Hindu tailors into her ramshackle flat. As the cruel policies of slum clearances and enforced birth control bring chaos to the city, the four strangers, whose lives have become inextricably linked, find themselves crossing divides of caste, class and religion to form the most unexpected of friendships.

Through arresting imagery, evocative sound and an
ensemble of eight actors, A Fine Balance vividly captures
an astonishing moment in India’s history with a tender story of exceptional human spirit. Produced by Tamasha – creator of the groundbreaking East is East and the award-winning musical Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and a Funeral
– it was first seen at hampsteadtheatre in 2006, where it enjoyed a sell-out run.

Translated by Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine Landon-Smith from the novel by Rohinton Mistry.

“it tells a grim tale with wit, warmth and a
keen eye for the join between public policies
and private lives”
— The Times ****

“nothing short of a miracle”
— Sunday Telegraph

“a moving but unsentimental homage to endurance, asking for no pity, only understanding”
— Sunday Times