Titus Halder's new play about the 1984 Bhopal gas leak at a Union Carbide pesticide factory, now running at the Bush Theatre in Shepherd's Bush, concludes with a devastating depiction of the disaster that left audience members audibly sobbing. Directed by Matthew Xia, the production features Linnea Berthelsen, known for playing Kali in Stranger Things, as a girl whose life is shaped by the tragedy. However, the play takes considerable time to reach its emotional peak, with early scenes focusing on family life and dreams of a better future.
A Slow Build to Catastrophe
The narrative follows a girl born "under a blue sky with lakes," living happily with her father and older sister in a dump, yet dreaming of a brighter future where she can ride a bike and travel the country by car and train. Hope carries her forward, especially as the Americans build a giant factory that she believes will save them all. Berthelsen initially plays the role with wide-eyed, squeaky innocence, skipping barefoot along the grimy perimeter of Simon Kenny's set. At eight, she watches boys go to school while she stays home to learn to make roti; at 11, she earns money sweeping floors; and at 12, she hears the word "factory" for the first time.
The sister remains her closest confidant, and the idea of them being split up fills her with fear. When she hears news of her marriage, she begs it isn't true. Even as her relationship with her family becomes distant, hope of moving to the city keeps her going. Berthelsen has a big job bringing the web of characters in Bhopal to life, but the distinction between them isn't always clear. As her delivery gets faster, her words blur together, making it difficult to understand what she is saying. With no set around her, the audience relies solely on her performance to build the scene—and it isn't always strong enough.
Uneven Writing and Direction
Halder's writing is uneven, with the night of the disaster not arriving until the back end of the play. Early sections detail family disagreements that feel unfinished. Xia's direction lets the factory grow in the shadows, through Rajiv Pattani's lighting design, from skeletal and looming to its final monstrous form. The damage appears first as oil splashes in the local well's water, then in her father's story about a maintenance man who dies from chemical exposure. The play waits, primed for catastrophe.
A Vivid Depiction of the Disaster
When the leak finally comes, it plays out like a vision of hell. Breathing becomes impossible, and people stagger, collapse, and bleed as the poison spreads through the streets. In the years after, the city is largely forgotten. "They must know what happened here, they must know," the girl, now an adult, says. Halder's play may not be perfect in structure, but his attempt to put the lives of the people behind the headlines centre stage is potent.
The production runs at the Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush, London W12 8LJ, with performances from 16 September to 24 October 2026. Tickets are priced £15-£45, and the running time is 1 hour 30 minutes. The show is part of the theatre's season, offering a stark reminder of the human cost of industrial negligence.
