BUSH THEATRE – UNTIL 26th OCTOBER 2024
Reviewed by Jackie Thornton
4****
Can friendships forged in childhood make it through the trials and tribulations of adulthood when life comes to get you? That’s the question preoccupying award-winning playwright WALEED AKHTAR (The P Word) in his latest drama making its debut at the Bush Theatre.
Skilfully directed by ANTHONY SIMPSON-PIKE, it follows British Pakistani best friends ZAID and NEELAM from drug-taking, partying 19-year-olds in 2006 to grown ups with careers and responsibilities at 36 in the present day. With jibes at the entrenched racism and classism of the British theatre industry as well society at large, this witty, moving and provocative play glides so seamlessly across time that the ending kind of sneaks up on you.
NATHANIEL CURTIS takes on the role of aspiring playwright Zaid with cheekiness, charm and an endearing dose of naivety as we wonder if he’ll ever gain the courage to come out to his conservative parents let alone introduce his white and considerably older lover JEREMY (ANTHONY HOWELL). Zaid’s partner in crime, Neelam is played with a steely and determined grit by MARIAM HAQUE, so adept at conjuring up a forced smile, as she faces presenting her Black British Nigerian partner DEJI (NNABIKO EJIMOFOR) to her devout Muslim family. Zaid and Neelam are so tactile and at ease with each other that we root for them like they were lovers, leaving Jeremy and Deji to play second fiddle, which naturally becomes the source of much conflict.
A simple circular pit set and minimal costume changes by ANISHA FIELDS ensures the spotlight is always on the performers while contemporary indie tunes are blasted in and a backdrop intermittently signalling the ages of our beloved characters perfectly situates us in time.
This story charting friendships across youth and towards middle age is warm yet spiky, familiar yet devastating and will certainly leave you wanting more