Sydney theatre-maker Joshua Hinton will bring his family’s story of migration, identity and food to the Sydney Opera House in October, cooking his grandmother’s chicken curry on stage as he traces a heritage stretching across India, Persia, South Africa and Australia.
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry) will run at the Opera House Studio from October 14 to 17, combining storytelling, music and live cooking in a work created and performed by Hinton with his brother Dominic.
The production draws on the Sydney-born, Wollongong-raised theatre-maker’s family history, including Persian, Indian, South African, Jewish and Baháʼí connections, and the experiences of his grandparents. At its centre is a question familiar to many Australians with migrant backgrounds: “Where are you really from?”
Hinton said the stories at the heart of the production had found connections with audiences across different backgrounds.
“I’m so excited to be bringing my show A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen to the Sydney Opera House. The show is filled with stories about tradition, culture and family, themes that are universally shared. Which is really what I love so much about performing the show – everyone can find a bit of themselves within it,” he said.
Food provides one of the links between those family histories and the present. Drawing on the legacy of the family’s long-running Indian restaurant in Brisbane, Hinton cooks his grandmother’s chicken curry recipe during each performance. Audience members are offered a bowl as they leave the theatre.
“To be able to perform in Sydney’s rich multicultural space, means so many will identify with the themes of the show, and of course, there’s a great curry at the end for all to enjoy. I can’t wait for audiences each night to share a family favourite,” Hinton said.
The production also looks at the events and circumstances that shaped the family’s movement across countries and generations, using the domestic setting of food and family stories to examine how cultural identities are carried into suburban Australian life.
Sydney Opera House Director, Programming Brenna Hobson said the combination of personal history and cooking was central to the work.
“A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen is a joyful and moving piece of theatre that reminds us of the extraordinary connections forged around the dinner table. There is so much to this work – family stories, learning to embrace your full self, a bit of sibling banter, heartfelt humour and live cooking. Joshua’s deceptively simple work transforms a shared meal into a moment of connection – bringing together friends, family and strangers alike through food, stories and shared experiences.”
The production has previously attracted favourable reviews, with Stage Whispers describing it as “a warm and engaging theatrical experience”, while In Review called Hinton “a skilled storyteller” and praised the use of aromas from the live cooking as part of the performance.
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen is suitable for audiences aged 12 and over. Tickets for the October 14-17 season at the Sydney Opera House Studio are priced at $59 plus booking fee.
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