The production continues to run until the 16th November.
WhatsOnStage: **** “Guards at the Taj is something very special. It feels like an honour being treated to a play with such substance and affective pull – a true treat to the soul. If you’re drawn to complex historical narratives, you may find this play of great interest.”
Richmond Nub News: ***** “JMK Award 2024 winner, Adam Karim, brilliantly tailors Guards at the Taj to a British audience as it was originally written for American viewers to consume, yet still is able to touch on key themes of brotherhood, conformity, masculinity and betrayal, with a comedic undertone throughout but not diminishing the consequences the characters face.”
All That Dazzles: **** “Rajiv Joseph cleverly uses dark humour to explore the beauty of humanity in a story that is on the surface perhaps quite simple but reveals layer after layer to provoke complex questions.”
London Theatre1: ***** “There’s a lot to unpack from what is, at face value, a straightforward story about the building of the Taj Mahal, all told in just under ninety minutes. A magnificent and extraordinary production that punches far above its weight.”
British Theatre Guide: “Beautifully nuanced, what starts out as very funny makes an engrossing ninety minutes: Adam Karim delivers a production that shows why he won the award that gave him the chance to stage it.”
North West End: “The play is thought-provoking, humorous, and moving, and forces you to look at what lies beneath outer facades and romantic tales.”
The Arts Desk: **** “The beauty of the piece, directed skilfully here by Adam Karim, is that it sustains its own middle line between the two friends’ personalities, relishing the comedy of their differenceš as well as the tragedy that enmeshes them. Thiara and Hussain are superb, marching soberly around the dais to the next position of their watch and presenting arms with an emphatic whooshing sound, part toy soldier, part impressive traditional warrior.”
The Stage: *** “Warm performances smooth over the knotty moral debates in this revival of Rajiv Joseph’s bloody two-hander.”
Broadway World: **** “A moving, unusual and funny production: Guards at the Taj is another example of why the Orange Tree Theatre is such a dynamic and excting venue.”
Theatre Cat: “The play will not be to everybody’s taste. But I see why it won prizes – including one for its director here, Adam Karim. Couldn’t take my eyes off it, and it stays with me. Credit to Thiara and Hussain , for Humayun and Babur will stay with me for a long while, speaking for the worker across four centuries.”
The Reviews Hub: **** “The charismatic partnership of Thiara and Hussain makes it substantially easier to concentrate on those characters’ plight, though. Their vivid portrayals secure Babur and Humayun’s place in the pantheon of side characters who take their place in the spotlight.”
To book tickets visit: https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/guards-at-the-taj/