The stage is set, and Feroze Kamardeen is ready to deliver another dose of thought-provoking humour with Grow Up Nana 2. After a resounding success of part 1 in late 2022, and a much-anticipated repeat run in early 2023, Kamardeen is back with a sharper, tighter script mingling social commentary with wit and satire in a way only he can.  Grow Up Nana 2 hits the Lionel Wendt this weekend and the next, promising the audience an evening of laughter, introspection, and a few eyebrow-raising revelations one wouldn’t want to miss.

With nearly two decades in the industry, Kamardeen is a name synonymous with Sri Lankan theatre with a long-standing reputation for straddling the fine line of exposing the realities of life through comedy. Whether it’s through the satirical lens of Pusswedilla or Arsikland or the razor-sharp stand up of Freddy, Kamardeen has never shielded away from difficult conversations and introspection and his ability to do it through subtextual humour and allegorical comedy is what the audience loves best. Grow up Nana was no exception as he shed light on the quirks, traditions and struggles of his community while weaving in broader social commentary.

Now, with Grow Up Nana 2, he continues to build on the foundation of part one by delving deeper into the nuances of identity and traditions – this time with the confidence and clarity of a man who knows exactly where the lines are drawn, or rather, where they should be redrawn. “After part one, I realized there were a few things that were left unsaid about some of the misconceptions and idiosyncrasies of our community so this time, the play is delivered with the same humour and depth, just with more context.”

Is he concerned about offending his audience, we ask. “Not really”, Kamardeen admits with a laugh. “It’s just my opinion and I think by now the audience knows that.”  While Grow Up Nana 2 explores the little quips and quirks of the Muslim community, Kamardeen adds that it’s far from exclusionary. “This is a show for everyone because at its core, this is a social commentary–looking into ourselves introspectively and finding common ground with other communities.” He reveals that the play contains fascinating insights that non-Muslim audience members would find particularly entertaining. After all, Kamardeen asks, “Don’t you want to know what makes the bulls*** you hear at Muslim weddings so much more dangerous than any other wedding?”

Kamardeen’s candid, no-holds-barred Grow Up Nana 2 is not to be missed. Get tickets now for this 2 hour one-man show that’ll have you laughing till your sides ache!

22nd-24th and 28th - 30th November 2024
7.30 pm
Lionel Wendt Theatre
Tickets: stagelightandmagic.com/growupnana2
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