‘A Pleasurable experience’

Coming at a time when Australia’s immigrant population is higher than ever, For The Love Of Paper by Almitra Mavalvala tackles the difficulties faced by migrants with quick and witty comedy supplemented by a versatile set design, effective lighting, and powerful performances.

Amidst familial and financial pressure, the Pakistani-born Amaliah aches to be a performer. As her work visa expires, her best friend and roommate Kaveh, an Afghani man, Australian citizen, fakes a marriage with her to keep her in Australia. This bid for a permanent visa has one flaw: Kaveh is gay. As Amaliah applies for her visa, the two friends are challenged by their respective families, casual flings, and discussions on what they really want.

While the play can feel meandering and expository at times, especially during the Immigration Officer’s visit, Kersherka Sivakumaran’s direction evokes humour and brings to attention the Kafkaesque visa application system that seems designed to discourage migrants.

Paris Bell’s single set piece is impressive for its versatility, able to believably transform from a lived-in home to a dance floor in moments. Jasmin Borsovsky’s lighting effectively enhances the intensity and emotions of each scene. The frequent voice-overs, however, subtract from the play’s atmosphere and are intrusive in their loudness.

Mavalvala plays the character of Amaliah with sharp humour, her frequent one-liners layering the play with charm – for instance, when the Immigration Officer introduces himself as Ivan, she quickly responds, “How terrible!” Mavalvala’s own musicianship additionally injects her performance with immersion. Antony Makhlouf as Kaveh is impressively introspective, portraying internalised conflict between family, desire, and the self with subtlety. Joseph Raboy plays the supporting characters, managing to embellish each one with distinctive personalities in a standout performance. Mavalvala and Makhlouf possess good chemistry, and Raboy’s consistency garnishes the performances with finesse.

For The Love Of Paper is an absolutely pleasurable experience intensified by potent performances. We look forward to seeing more witty works from Mavalvala and the team.