The National Theatre is currently enjoying popular success in London with Rafta, Rafta, a comedy-drama about an Asian family in Bolton, by Ayub Khan-Din, the man who wrote the hit East is East.

The good news is the National is bringing the show to Bradford's St George's Hall next year for a total of 12 evening performances and matinees.

Last week I went to London to see it and talk to some of the cast who will be coming to Bradford in March.

The action takes place in the terraced home of the Dutt family: the patriarchal Eeshwar, his wife Lopa, their younger son Jai and the eldest, Atul. The play opens after the wedding of the virginal Atul to his virginal Vina Patel. The married couple are to share the family home.

But such is the domineering presence of Dutt senior that Atul is too nervous and ill-at-ease to fulfil his wedding night obligations to his bride - especially after the marital bed, sabotaged during the festivities, collapses at a key moment.

Six weeks go by and the marriage still has not been consummated. This sparks off rows all round, accusations and revelations.

The cast of ten brilliantly steer the play between comedy and pathos without falling into either melodrama or kitchen-sink histrionics.

Ayub Khan-Din has adapted Rafta, Rafta - meaning softly, softly - from Bill Naughton's All in Good Time and the subsequent movie version starring John Mills, Hayley Mills and Wilfred Pickles; The Family Way.

Some of the cast said an Asian family comedy-drama made a change.

"It's refreshing it didn't have some deep-rooted race issue about it. You see a group of Asian actors on stage and you think it's about terrorism or arranged marriages," said Rudi Dhamalingham, who played Jai Dutt at the National. He won't be touring.

His understudy Kal Aise, who will be appearing at St George's Hall, said: "The bride still being a virgin is the only real Asian issue in the play. One of its strengths is about a father and son who don't get on together in a small house. It's the same all over the country."

Bend It Like Beckham actress Shaheen Khan, who plays mother-of-the-bride Lata Patel, said her 16-year-old had seen the play six times and was coming for the final London performance.

"I think Ayub has done a brilliant transposition to the Asian culture. For me I really like the way Ayub writes, and of course it was at the National. I have waited 30 years to be here."

Harish Patel, who has a girth to match that of Richard Griffiths, plays Eeshwar Dutt with tremendous comic panache and feeling. He is an equally big film star in India. He flew over from Bombay to audition for the part.

He hadn't heard of Nicholas Hytner, the director of the National Theatre although he had appeared in English plays in his home country. He was offered the part within 15 minutes of auditioning for it. No wonder. He will be touring.

At the end of the play, after a shocking revelation, he sits crying. His son Jai says: "What's wrong? Me dad's crying." To which the father memorably replies: "At your age, life will sometimes make you laugh. When you get to my age it will make you bloody cry." Curtain.

Ronny Jhutti, who plays the frustrated bridegroom Atul, said: "One of Ayub's strengths is his humour. It's that that doesn't turn this play into kitchen sink issues.

"I think this is far more focused than East is East, which is about a father-son relationship."

Selling the play to some Muslims may be problematic because of the bedroom scenes involving the bride and bridegroom. They are suggestive rather than explicit and at least one results in a comic pratfall.

Others may not like the openness of the rows and revelations and object to the idea of married men and women having human frailties.

Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi, who plays the bride, Vina Patel, said: "Any decent piece of work has challenged me. If something is honest and is part of the story - not just there for effect - it will be all right. I think Ayub captures the rhythm of the North. There is a very northern feel to it."

Audiences will be surprised by the set. It shows in great detail the contents of four rooms of the Dutt house: two upstairs bedrooms above a kitchen and a living room. In the latter, Mr Dutt likes to sing, dance, play the harmonium and drink whiskey. This is the room in which the play begins and ends.

  • The National Theatre production of Rafta, Rafta will be on at St George's Hall from March 5 to 14, starting at 7.30pm. The box office number is (01274) 432000.