Marriage Material

In Marriage Material, against the backdrop of a changing 20th century, Mrs Bains is balancing running the business, caring for her ailing husband and the demands of her two headstrong daughters, who each have their eye on a different kind of future.

In our shops we will be Kings of England. And we will make this place our place.

The Bains’ corner shop in Wolverhampton has been at the centre of the family for three generations.
Against the backdrop of a changing 20th century, Mrs Bains is balancing running the business, caring for her ailing husband and the demands of her two headstrong daughters, who each have their eye on a different kind of future.

Fast forward to the present day, a family tragedy pulls Arjan Bains back from a life in London. The shop represents everything he was trying to escape, but with his mother insisting it remain open, how long can he stay away?

This edition of Marriage Material, adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by Sathnam Sanghera, was published to coincide with the co-production at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Birmingham Rep in May-July 2025.