By: Tania Nana
Writer and performer Saikat Ahamed, in In Search of Goldoni, takes the audience on a deeply personal and bittersweet journey; part travelogue, part memory play and wholly compelling. Through a fusion of humour, grief and cultural reflection, Ahamed explores a transformative trip with his family to Venice, prompted by the invitation to reimagine the works of Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni whose work has been admired for its ingenious mix of wit and honesty.
What begins as an artistic expedition slowly reveals itself to be a vehicle for reckoning with personal loss, particularly the death of his father. As Ahamed guides us through Venetian alleyways and inner monologues alike, the identities, the nature of grief, and the power of storytelling are explored. At its heart, this is not just a journey to Venice, it’s a journey exploring and discovering himself.
A one-person show is a theatrical tightrope as they rely on stamina, versatility and emotional range in staggering measure. Ahamed delivers all three with seamless precision and palpable heart. From comic physicality to the quiet ache of remembrance, he inhabits a range of characters, moods and moments with compelling ease. The emotional vulnerability Ahamed offers in the show is riveting and brave, as his audience sits close, not just spatially but emotionally, as he draws them into his world with wit and quiet devastation. It is rare to see a performer maintain such intimate engagement without the net of an ensemble, and he made it look effortless, which is a testament to his command of the craft.
The strength of In Search of Goldoni lies not only in the performance but in the hands of an amazing creative and production team. Director Alix Harris steers the narrative with clarity and rhythm, allowing the story’s emotions to land without any corniness. The set and custom design by Aldo Vázquez beautifully showcase Venice without literalism, giving just enough to stimulate the imagination of actually being there. Rajiv Pattani‘s use of lighting in the show subtly shifts the emotional and temporal landscape of the show, using it to differentiate between characters at times. Nicola T. Chang’s sound composition weaves in and out of the scenes with elegance, grounding Ahamed’s monologue, bringing more life into the words. And lastly, the movement director Joêl Daniel’s ways of bringing the physical life into the movement of Ahamed allowed him to remain engaging and fluid throughout.
If you’ve never been to the theatre or aren’t sure what to see next, In Search of Goldoni is a powerful place to start. This is not just a play, it is honest, moving, with a hint of comedy about family, loss and finding yourself through grief. It shows us that grief does not always come in loud, dramatic moments; sometimes grief comes in the quiet memories, the unexpected laughs, sounds or the feeling of being away from home yet still carrying the thought of someone with you.
This show has heat, real humanity and humour, you don’t need to know anything about theatre to feel something here. Just come with an open mind and let yourself be taken on a journey that’s touching, thoughtful and surprisingly uplifting. You might be surprised by how deeply it speaks to you.
You can follow the play at https://www.beyondface.co.uk/productions for all upcoming shows.