As a heartfelt reflection on Arab identity inspired by revolution, Nowhere is hampered by a lack of discipline and structure.summary
Rating
Writer and performer Khalid Abdalla sets out his stall early in Nowhere, his multimedia solo performance eccentrically billed as an anti-biography. In a brief prologue, he explicitly tells us he is seeking a genuine connection with his audience. At the close, he also asks us directly to take his words to heart and carry them with us out into the night. I don’t like letting anyone down, so I am genuinely sad to report that I left the Battersea Arts Centre unmoved, feeling very little.
The problem lies in the show’s artfulness. Abdalla’s theatrical practice and technique are to the fore, and, together with director Omar Elerian, he has clearly decided to show us everything all at once, which has led to a disjointed attention-seeking 90 minutes of theatre. Without form, we’re left with a series of performance art-style set pieces and a sense of jumbled and incoherent thinking. Nowhere whisks us between times, places and scenarios at speed. Examples include the 2011 Egyptian revolution, the hospital room of an artist friend diagnosed with cancer, a Glasgow childhood in the 1980s, an awkward meeting with a Hollywood casting agent, a run-in with immigration control, the Norfolk seaside town of Cromer, and more. During our travels, iPhone footage, photography, live video, projection, dance, and sound design compete for attention. Abdalla, fortunately, remains a genial host throughout. The moments of humour stand out. The reveal of his ‘true’ national identity is a beautifully timed gag.
Elsewhere, a brief ‘idiot’s guide’ to neo-liberalism using photographs of Reagan, Thatcher, and other world figures is a cute idea, but it goes nowhere. A movement piece that recreates father and son meeting in prison is internalised to such a degree that nothing actually happens for a while. There is also audience participation, which is always a gamble. Here, we are asked to draw our own self-portraits. It proves fun, but I can’t explain its relevance other than Abdalla telling us it is something he enjoys doing. We are asked a series of questions to answer en masse by stomping our feet. There is no real comment on the results, and we are left to draw our own conclusions as the clumsy narrative skips off ever onward.
Abdalla’s screen credits we learn include the chief terrorist in United 93, the chilling film that recreated an infamous 9/11 flight. He has also recently played Dodi Fayed in The Crown. In the real world, his father and grandfather fought the authorities in Egypt. He took to the Cairo streets himself, a true revolutionary. If there’s anyone qualified to explore the complexities of modern Arab identity, it’s surely him. There are, to be fair, snatches of genuine insight and moments of heartfelt commentary here, but the ADHD nature of the show means few of them land. This matters most when Abdalla discusses current affairs. Surely, the tragedies unfolding in the Middle East deserve care, clarity of thought, time and space. Here, personal reflections feel muddled and boil down to platitudes. Is an origami dove of peace a worthy response?
Nowhere’s theatrical tools, sound, video, and contemporary dance are all objectively good. This is especially true of the latter, so take a bow, choreographer Omar Rajeh. It’s just a shame they don’t add up to something more powerful.
Written & Performed by: Khalid Abdalla
Directed by: Omar Elerian
Set & Costume by: Ti Green
Choreography by: Omar Rajeh
Lighting Design by: Jackie Shemesh
Sound Design by: Panos Chountoulidis
Video Design by: Sarah Readman
Nowhere runs at Battersea Arts Centre until Saturday 19th October. Further information and booking details can be found here.
