Acclaimed actor and theatre maker, Mohit Mathur recently took time out of his busy schedule performing at the Edinburgh Fringe to bring his one-man show to Newcastle. ‘Dial 1 for UK’ is a bitter-sweet odyssey about the harsh reality facing undocumented migrant workers who come to the UK in search of a better life.
The show
Mathur is warm and engaging from the outset. He plays Uday Kumar (‘UK’ for short), a self-styled wannabe Indian influencer posting cheery videos on his YouTube channel, telling of his adventures in the country of his dreams. But behind the bluster and bravado it’s all going horribly wrong and he begins to wish he was back in the New Delhi call centre, speaking to anxious customers who call up the Goldmine Crypto GB Helpline because they failed to read the small print before handing over their money. At least there he was able to help people with their everyday problems, like the lady with a missing cat, and in this respect Mathur gives a human face to the rather despised call centre workforce.
Like many so-called ‘illegals’, beguiled and robbed by shady unscrupulous characters in both his home country and in the UK, Uday is forced to live and work under the radar, vulnerable to exploitation and facing destitution. He lasts two weeks at Sunderland University before he realises he won’t be able to service the tuition fees and returns to Hounslow where he becomes a care worker. Despite the challenges of the job we see him showing extraordinary humanity to the elderly people on his rounds. He strikes up a particularly meaningful relationship with a retired army major and cannot understand why British families do not take care of their elderly relatives, unlike the situation in India where intergenerational mutual support is the norm.
After a hard day at work Uday is forced to sleep in corridors and toilet cubicles, having been kicked out of his temporary accommodation. What should he tell his YouTube followers? The fantasy they want to hear or the shocking reality of Brexit Britain where racism is rife and deportation always just around the corner?
Mathur has the skills and energy to drive this ultimately sad and sorry story. He is helped along the way through the use of a series of photos depicting other characters in the story. And we, the audience become volunteers, filming Uday as he poses for his online audience in front of famous London landmarks.
Comment
However, as the play ends on a bit of a downer I wanted the next instalment in order to take away the gloom. Surely Uday will one day finish that accounting degree at Sunderland University and join the ranks of a highly respected profession? Maybe he will set up a care home for retired majors and distressed cat ladies? Perhaps his Dream UK YouTube Channel will go viral?
Let’s hope Mathur and director Phil Willmott will find the time and resources to return to this material again. And when they do Newcastle audiences will be ready and waiting.
You can see the trailer for ‘Dial 1 for UK’ here.
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