Nowhere is a biographical play written and performed by Khalid Abdalla (The Kite Runner, The Crown) directed by Omar Elerian and produced by Fuel Theatre. I was invited to review the show at Oxford Playhouse.
Described as a ‘surprising journey into his own history, set against a cartography of seismic world events’, I was unsure what to expect and as it began, I remained so for a while. After an introduction about how the current location was a safe space to share, unlike a lot of environments outside of the theatre, using mixed media, we were taken on a whirlwind tour of Khalid Abdalla’s personal journey through life, beginning with his birth in Glasgow and his Egyptian heritage, stories from his family history, alongside discussions of the world at large (anti-Muslim prejudice in Europe and the USA, contemporary conflicts, media normalisation of violence, etc). At one point the viewpoint became the audience members themselves. This was done through some whole-audience interaction that even this introvert felt comfortable with – in fact the audience found it a good change of pace, from the laughter heard during the process.
The intelligent delivery of this show made everything appear to be simple and seamless; switching between visual props such as net curtains for multiple purposes, projected camera images which then went from live relay into pre-recorded film without a pause, dance, speech (effectively utilising multiple accents) and more, it was a brilliant way of keeping the audience engaged and refreshing the mood, from quite difficult subjects to more light hearted anecdotes. But without a doubt this play as a whole also leaves you thinking about the topics covered.
Nowhere is a presentation of an intelligent blend of global issues, interwoven with personal stories – the latter of which bring your thoughts back to how you would feel yourself in these situations, the loss of a friend, for example, hitting hard. The experience of prejudice after 9/11 was another personal anecdote that created empathy in its telling. These were alongside discussions of global issues, including a very memorable video of a line of clothes on a beach – representing the children that have been killed in Gaza. This visual had more of an impact than any news bulletin stating figures would ever do. Footage of a protest brought forward feelings of anxiety, and another such visual, family photographs being shared rapidly alongside really loud upbeat music, give an insight into the depth of Khalid Abdalla’s family experiences, many of which you are left wanting to know more about.
The video design by Sarah Readman and lighting by Jackie Shemesh is embedded in this production, and the sheer amount of other creatives involved brings clarity on why the multimedia effects are so flawlessly delivered during the performance.
This piece will appeal greatly to anyone who is keen to watch something contemporary which leaves you thinking about the topics covered well after you leave the theatre.
⭐⭐⭐1/2
Nowhere is being taken to various locations more information can be found here.
I was gifted a ticket for Nowhere in exchange for an honest review.
