Review: BLUE MIST at Theatre Royal Stratford East

The ambition of one, Jihad (Omar Bynon) to become a journalist, represents an exciting and impressive departure for the group and is fully supported by his brothers Rashid (Azan Ahmed) and Asid (Kashif Ghole). Their playfulness and familiarity has a beauty all its own as they joke and josh each other about the pursuit of girlfriends, business ventures and work promotions during their regular meets at Chunkyz over a shisha pipe. The evident love and mutually supportive bond which they have formed since childhood, seems deeply rooted and culturally unbreakable, but a radio station’s competition to find a new and original voice, changes everything.

When he wins the competition, Jihad is invited to make a documentary and after consulting his friends, decides to give a voice to his community by describing the vital part shisha lounges play in maintaining identity and connection for young Muslim men who are often still living at home. Of course, his chosen approach in advocating a positive angle to these social hubs is quickly challenged by the station owners, who would prefer a more sensationalist approach and the promotion of a sinister interpretation of their significance. Recordings of the informal chats which Jihad enjoys with his friends, become the source material for painting shisha lounges as dens of unrest and radicalisation. When the manipulated story is aired, the fall-out for the two friends is catastrophic, while Jihad is feted and wins an award for its searing honesty and fresh investigative approach. The breakdown of those meaningful friendships and the widespread mistrust of his community however, are a high price to pay.

Previously nominated for an Olivier Award from its original outing at the Royal Court, BLUE MIST by Mohamed-Zain Dada and directed by Milli Bhatia, represents the sort of easily accessible and fascinating insight into a specific aspect of our modern multicultural society. It is a thoroughly entertaining, engaging, thought-provoking and vibrant piece. On an evening which was wholly disrupted by the Stratford station fire and the logistics of getting home, it is a testament to the play that I was still thinking about its themes and the terrific performances of its three cast members the following morning.

BLUE MIST runs 1 hour 35 mins straight through without interval and continues its brief run at Stratford East until Tuesday 14th July.

Blue Mist Tickets