Watford Palace’s newest play shows a family’s secrets unravel through comedic storytelling and is a must see before its final performance.

The Sunday, May 7 matinee show of Happy Birthday Sunita was packed and the rapturous laughter from audience members would have drowned out the lines had it not been for the skilled actors’ theatrical timing.

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Showing until Friday, May 12, the play, written by Harvey Virdi, explores themes of communication, race, culture, sexism, ageism, and independence.

It is Sunita’s 40th birthday and her mum, brother and his wife have arrived to celebrate.

Set in a family home where the newly fitted kitchen was installed the stage design was a metaphor for the family’s overarching issue.

Watford Observer: The newly fitted kitchen where the entire play takes place. The newly fitted kitchen where the entire play takes place. (Image: Newsquest)

The new kitchen is pristine and looks perfect to the outside, just as the family does.

But it is later revealed that the old and warn kitchen with flaws – as the Johal family has – was installed in the garage for the “actual cooking to be done”.

Husband and wife, Nav and Harleen, appear to show the struggles some people feel who have a dual heritage, in this case, British and South Asian.

Watford Observer: Devesh Kishore who plays Nav (left) and Bhawna Bhawsar who plays Sunita (right)Devesh Kishore who plays Nav (left) and Bhawna Bhawsar who plays Sunita (right) (Image: Greta Zabulyte)

Nav, held India’s culture in a high regard and Harleen, found flaws in it favouring a westernised way of life.

Rameet Rauli who played Harleen had the audience in stitches as she attempted to speak Punjabi and please her mother-in-law.

Tejpal, the mother, is intent on making Sunita’s birthday the best, but it isn’t so easy as she is nowhere to be seen.

Watford Observer: Divya Seth Shah who plays TejpalDivya Seth Shah who plays Tejpal (Image: Greta Zabulyte)

When Sunita finally makes an entrance, it becomes apparent that each member of the family has been quietly dealing with the father’s absence who left 20 years ago to live in India.

At first it seems Sunita has struggled the most with her father’s physical and emotional distance.

She becomes distraught when her mother invites Maurice, the builder who fitted the kitchen, to her birthday.

Watford Observer: Rameet Rauli (left) who plays Harleen and Devesh Kishore who plays Nav (right)Rameet Rauli (left) who plays Harleen and Devesh Kishore who plays Nav (right) (Image: Greta Zabulyte)

But it is Maurice, an outsider to the family, who can see their flaws and the family begin to speak with one another instead of at each other.

The play is ultimately about growth and acceptance, something that families of any background can understand.