Thought‑provoking, wickedly funny, and physically electric — a standout piece of Theatre for Change.Rating
Unmissable!
Joan Littlewood was a pioneer of Theatre for Change, fiercely championing community empowerment and insisting that the authentic stories of ordinary people deserved centre‑stage. With that legacy in mind, it feels entirely right that Blue Mist finds its home at Stratford East, the very building where Littlewood carved out her radical vision.
From the moment you step inside, there’s a charge in the air. Director Milli Bhatia sets the tone instantly: South Asian house music pulses through the auditorium, and before long, heads are nodding along. It’s rare to feel that level of anticipation simply walking into a theatre — but Blue Mist, written by Mohamed-Zain Dada, makes you feel part of something the moment you arrive.
Set in Chunky’s (voiced by Sanjeev Bhaskar) shisha lounge, the play follows Jihad (Omar Bynon), a wannabe journalist, and his two closest friends, Rashid (Azan Ahmed) and Asif (Kashif Ghole). The trio lounge around the table, smoking shisha and swapping stories of love, loss, dating apps, aunties, uncles, and the messy corners of their lives. Much of it is laugh‑out‑loud funny, delivered with the kind of ease and chemistry that only real friendship can produce. But beneath the humour sits a sharper question: how far is Jihad willing to go to secure his dream job? And at what point does ambition become betrayal — of culture, of community, of self? As one character reminds him, “A good journalist doesn’t always play friendly — in fact, they mostly don’t.”
The cast is exceptional. There’s no single standout because they operate as a true ensemble, bouncing off one another with wit, warmth, and deep empathy. Their sincerity lingers long after the final scene. Bhatia’s decision to make the piece highly physical, with the help of movement director Theophilus O. Bailey, is inspired: the trio glide from balletic softness to bold breaking and popping, then into hilariously exaggerated sass as they embody the women behind the emails. It’s clever, expressive, and often riotously funny. Her direction is sharp, intelligent, and unafraid to push the form — a blend of humour and social commentary that lands with real force.
The production design is equally striking. Elliot Griggs’ lighting and Elena Peña’s sound design ripple through the space with precision, offering sudden jolts of awareness that keep the audience alert to the stakes. Tomás Palmer’s set, simple yet symbolically loaded, becomes a visual metaphor for the invisible prison these young men navigate daily.
What Blue Mist excels at — and what Littlewood, and her influence, Bertolt Brecht, always demanded — is making you think. It interrogates the impact of media narratives and the weight of negative journalism on Muslim men with clarity and compassion. It’s bold, funny, poignant, and unflinchingly relevant.
Now on its second run after earning two Olivier nominations following its time at the Royal Court, Blue Mist heads to Birmingham next. Beg, borrow, or steal a ticket. This is a beautifully crafted, thought‑provoking piece of theatre that stays with you long after you leave the auditorium.
Written by Mohamed-Zain Dada
Directed by Milli Bhatia
Designed by Tomás Palmer
Lighting Design by Elliot Griggs
Sound Design by Elena Peña
Movement Director: Theophilus O. Bailey
Blue Mist plays at Stratford East until Tuesday 14 July.
