Shampoo, secrets and the power of storytelling

The interdisciplinary research project revealing the complexities of immigrant experiences

For three decades, the charming Dr Muhammed Saeed treated patients in the Bradford neighbourhood of Manningham – often with surprising remedies, such as prescribing a teaspoon of shampoo for a whole range of ailments. That is, until 1990, when Dr Saeed was exposed as a fraud and shown not to be, in fact, a qualified medical doctor.

Actors perform a scene from the play, A Teaspoon of Shampoo. Photo credit: Karol Wyzynsk

But who was Dr Saeed really? And how was he able to maintain his deception for so long? These are the questions explored in an interdisciplinary research project by Dr Rob Eagle, a practice-led researcher at the University of Leeds’ Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures. Jointly funded by LAHRI and the Cultural Institute through the Sapling Bradford Collaboration Fund, the project has involved archival research at the Local Studies Library in Bradford as well as interviews with people who knew Dr Saeed, and led to a play, A Teaspoon of Shampoo.

“The archival material and the interviews served as inspiration for a group of actors to improvise scenes that imagined key points of the doctor’s life,” explains Dr Eagle, Research Fellow in Cultural Value at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries. “The Creative Director of Theatre in the Mill, Dr Shabina Aslam, then used the material generated from the research and improvised scenes to write the text for the play.

“The show is a fictionalised account, inspired by several real events in the doctor’s life, but it also reflects experiences of the wider Pakistani immigrant community that settled in the area of Manningham in Bradford in the 1960s. In this portrayal of the doctor, the play neither celebrates nor condemns his 30 years of deception and the harm he exposed his patients to.”

During rehearsals, the production caught the attention of local and national press, including the BBC, The Independent & The Telegraph & Argus, which helped the run of five shows to sell out more than a week in advance and brought a diverse range of audiences. This reflects the wider social value of the arts in creating meaningful conversations around heritage, identity and community memory.

Photo credit: Kimia Modaressi

“We spoke to audience members who had travelled from Manchester, Sheffield and London just for the show,” Dr Eagle says. “That was balanced with local Bradford communities, particularly healthcare professionals and older Asian audiences, many of whom told us that they rarely if ever visit the theatre.

“Audiences remarked how refreshing it was to have a Bradford story told in a way that does not deliver a simple message but rather portrays the complexities and uncomfortable truths of immigrant community experiences.”

Given the success of the play in Bradford, Theatre in the Mill is hoping to tour A Teaspoon of Shampoo at other theatres across the North and Midlands, with a view to engaging even more immigrant communities. Meanwhile, Dr Eagle and the project team are planning to develop a documentary podcast that would be “darker” in tone and are currently evaluating what to do next with the variety of experiences and testimonies of those from Manningham who knew the real Dr Saeed, including his patients, friends and colleagues.

For Dr Alex Bamji, Director of LAHRI (Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute), the project exemplifies the value of arts and humanities research. “There is enormous social value in these kinds of interdisciplinary, place-based arts projects,” she said. “Bringing together academic research, performance and community voices, A Teaspoon of Shampoo shows how creative research can resonate widely and meaningfully with the public, offering space for reflection and connection.”

Wieke Eringa, Director of the Cultural Institute, added: “This is a brilliant demonstration of the power of culture, storytelling and performance to open up difficult conversations, foster understanding and connection, and generate fresh insights into our collective pasts.”

Visit LAHRI’s website to read more about A Teaspoon of Shampoo and the Sapling Bradford Fund.