In her review for Luxurist, Minakumari reflects on A Tupperware of Ashes, a poignant play by Tanika Gupta that explores the profound themes of loss, memory, and family bonds. Centered around a South Asian family grappling with their mother’s decline into dementia, the production captures the dual grief of losing a loved one both physically and emotionally. With powerful performances, particularly from Meera Sayal, the play resonates deeply, offering a cathartic exploration of memory and love.
A Tupperware of Ashes by Tanika Gupta
A Tupperware of Ashes” resonates deeply, touching on themes of loss, memory, and the delicate bond between past and present. As an Asian woman who has experienced both the profound grief of losing a partner and also watched my mother go through dementia, this play brought a flood of emotions that I have & carry with me.
The story revolves round children who watch their mother slowly decline through dementia.
The denial of the mother saying, “there’s nothing wrong with me” A woman who had lost her husband many years ago, ran a successful business, and now being told that she must give up everything she loves.
The reality of losing a partner, then going down memory lane of what her life used to be, all the wonderful things she had shared with her husband. This really struck a chord with me.
All the characters were simply amazing, each child had their own issues & challenges.
The play’s handling of grief struck me with painful clarity. The mixture of raw, unrelenting sorrow and moments of tenderness mirrored my experience with the suddenness of death and the slow decay of dementia. When a family member has been struck with the disease, they are pretty much not present, you start grieving them whilst they are alive.
The play touched on many cultural stigmas that as South Asian families must go through, when a member of the family may need to be put into a nursing home.
“A Tupperware of Ashes” is more than just a story about loss; it’s a meditation on memory, family, and identity. For anyone who has ever navigated the complexities of grief or watched a loved one slip away to dementia, this play will reach into your heart and stir emotions you may have buried. It’s a cathartic, moving experience that holds a mirror to the complex, sometimes messy, ways we process loss. I left the theatre both comforted and raw, reminded that while our loved ones may leave us, their memories live on, sometimes in the most unexpected places.
Meera Sayal was exceptional & played the role so well. It really reminded me of my own mother and all that she had gone through.
All the other actors played their parts so well too. Some of the storylines were my own reality.
It’s a must see & I would highly recommend it
Minakumari
A Tupperware of Ashes is playing in the Dorfman Theatre until 16th November
