Review: BLUE MIST, Royal Court Theatre

For a theatre devoted to nourishing new writing and championing new playwrights, the Royal Court has slacked a bit in recent times. From the messy situation with Dave Davidson, the mature security guard who didn’t exist, to the allegations of antisemitism, they haven’t exactly had the easiest post-pandemic life. A few awards, relatively more careful programming, and the upcoming change in leadership have finally started to lift the mood, turning the Court back into the well of wonders it should be in the eyes of the industry.

Their latest premiere is a brilliant debut by Mohamed-Zain Dada, who tracks the value of shisha parlours and the role they have in the communities they serve. Three boys meet at Chunkyz to gossip, swap stories, and grow up against the backdrop of a society that’s not made for Muslim men. Blue Mist is staged with unfaltering energy across all areas of the production. Directed by Milli Bhatia, the strongly conversational dialogues have a snappy pace manipulated by dynamically stark lighting (Elliot Griggs) and alluring sound design (Elena Peña). 

Dada writes with authentic personality, introducing his three characters with naturalistic idiosyncrasies that paint a vibrant cultural landscape. Their banter fearlessly gives way to powerful heart-to-hearts about their doomed future and shackled dreams, portraying a healthy friendship that could be perceived as a well-rounded lateral critique of generational toxic masculinity. The writer weaves in themes of identity and pride, cultural expectations and societal struggle, ancestry and remembrance with a sophisticated voice. He avoids being preachy and presenting the piece as blatant issue-led theatre, focusing on the journey instead.

When Jihad (Omar Bynon) wins a competition to produce his own documentary, his friends are as proud as it gets. They set off to make something that will represent the true significance of their parlour of choice and the people who fill it. But external forces burst their bubble and Jihad embraces the wrong priorities. Bynon, Salman Akhtar (Asif), and Arian Nik (Rashid) share a solid bond and deliver believable relationships. With different temperaments and degrees of charisma, they charm the audience into struggling to pick a side. Nik is especially impressive, giving a performance seeping with emotional intelligence and calibrated reactions. 

Tomás Palmer sets the scene in and around a conversation pit where the central movement of the play happens. The visuals tip into exquisite allegories that reflect on the result of Jihad’s actions and the irreparable divide he creates. The doubts and creative compromises the character is forced to make become nightmarish sequences filled with thick smoke and haze, a sharp turn from Bhatia’s generally amiable atmosphere. Blue Mist is an urgent, vital project. It describes the social context of spaces dedicated to specific communities and their importance, correlating them with their representation in mainstream white media and their agenda. It’s funny, sarcastic, satirical, thought-provoking, informative, original. It has it all - except for a truly great ending.

Blue Mist runs at the Royal Court until 18 November.

Photo credit: Ali Wright

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