REVIEW: A Place in Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One Pot Chicken Curry) - QPAC, Brisbane Festival, Merrigong Theatre Company

Written by Joshua Hinton

Presented by Brisbane Festival in association with QPAC

Merrigong Theatre Company

Directed and Designed by Leland Kean

Photography Tracy Leigh

During the Brisbane Festival (my favourite time of year!) I was swept into a fragrant, heart-filled adventure as Joshua and Domini Hinton invited us to pull up a seat at their family table. A Place in Sultan’s Kitchen was part biography, part cooking show, part heritage story, and absolutely all heart. It had the entire theatre whispering “oh my god, that smells so good…” in unison.

Joshua’s story began as a search for cultural identity, and as he told us, it quickly unravelled into something far bigger. It became an exploration of the many cultures, beliefs, and histories that shaped his family tree. From Iran to India, Sri Lanka to South Africa, and finally to Brisbane’s beloved Sultan’s Kitchen, he wove this tapestry through song, memories, live cooking, and creative use of cameras and spices.

The set was lovely with persian rugs, hanging lamps, and a kitchen pantry that felt magical every time he opened it. Live video feeds projected onto the walls and items kept us eager to catch every detail. Vision and sound designer Dominic (also interjecting with some zingers) added subtle soundscapes and clever tech moments that brought the history to life.

Josh chatted to us so effortlessly that I genuinely forgot this was a performance and not a friend sharing stories while chopping onions. He balanced humour with honesty, whether it was discussing the tiring repetitive question “where are you from?” or the red flags that appeared simply because of his middle name. He also touched delicately on persecution in Iran, wartime displacement, grief, and the complicated experience of living between cultures.

I adored how the ingredients became characters, how spices retold family journeys through World War II, and how recorded snippets of their grandmother held the whole story together. And the multitasking? I have no idea how Josh cooked an entire curry while acting, singing, reminiscing, educating, and cracking jokes. I would have burned the theatre down!

Vocally, Josh had a warm, honeyed tone that suited the reflective mood of the piece, especially in the final number, Evergreen, accompanied by Dom’s beautiful guitar and harmonies. It was the perfect ending, gentle, hopeful, and full of love.

The show reminded us that smell carries memory, that grief and cooking share similar heartaches (“how can you enjoy something when you know it’s about to end?”), and that identity is never a single flavour. We are all fruit salads, as Josh put it; a mix of everything that came before us.

I walked out feeling nourished, both emotionally and… well, literally, because they fed us the curry and encouraged us to take home as much as we liked! And it was delicious. More importantly, I felt the love of the family who raised these boys radiating through every moment. A beautiful, sensory, heartfelt feast of a show. Perfect for history lovers, multicultural families, foodies, and anyone who has ever wondered where they fit in this big, complicated world.