Wednesday, December 22 2004 11:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: The controversial play 'Behzti', cancelled in Birmingham following violent protests, could be staged in London in the New Year.

Royal Court Theatre sources told BBC last night (Dec 21, 2004) that it had obtained a copy of the play with a view to possibly staging it in the city in the New Year.

"Irrespective of the quality of this play I think we have to see it," Ramin Gray from the Royal Court Theatre said.

The play had its run cancelled in Birmingham after five police officers were injured when 400 demonstrators protested outside the theatre last Saturday (Dec 18, 2004).

Protestors said that the play depicts sex abuse and murder in a Gurdwara, portraying the Sikh faith negatively.

Braham Murray, co-artistic director of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester told reporters that Sikh playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti was in shock and had gone into hiding after receiving threats of abduction and murder.

"There were death threats. It came out of the blue and nobody had any clue that the play was going to cause this kind of controversy."

Another friend, who did not wish to be named, said that the playwright had gone into hiding on the advice of the police.

Birmingham's Repertory Theatre, which cancelled the play on health and safety grounds, said that the "ugly" violence had caused free speech to be curbed.

Another acting company in Birmingham had yesterday (Dec 21, 2004) offered to stage the play. Neal Foster, the founder of the Birmingham Stage Company, said that if the Birmingham Repertory Theatre would not stage the play, his company would offer to take over the production.