The Royal Court Theatre announces cast for Milli Bhatia’s ‘Blue Mist’
It runs in the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Thursday 5 October to Saturday 18 November 2023. Press night is Wednesday 11 October 2023 at 7pm.
The Royal Court Theatre today announced Salman Akhtar, Omar Bynon, and Arian Nik as the cast for Mohamed-Zain Dada’s debut play Blue Mist.
It is directed by Royal Court Associate Director Milli Bhatia, who has previously directed such successful plays as Baghdaddy, Maryland, Living Newspaper, My White Best Friend (and Other Letters Left Unsaid), This Liquid Earth: A Eulogy in Verse [Edinburgh International Festival], Half Full (& RWCMD), Dismantle This Room.
Set in the shisha lounges of North West London, Blue Mist follows a journalist who sells out his own community, in a candid riposte to the portrayal of South Asian Muslim men in the media.
It runs in the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Thursday 5 October to Saturday 18 November 2023. Press night is Wednesday 11 October 2023 at 7pm.
Blue Mist is designed by Tomás Palmer, with lighting design by Elliot Griggs, sound design by Elena Peña, and movement direction by Theophilus O. Bailey.
Chunkyz Shisha Lounge is a home away from home for Jihad, Rashid, and Asif, a space where community whispers are heard, jokes are told and new hustles are born. But its future is under threat, having become a target for local politicians.
Aspiring journalist, Jihad wants to fight back. After winning a competition to produce his own documentary, he sets out to create something that gives a voice to his community and challenges the usual stereotypes that fill the airwaves.
Will Jihad be able to create something that makes his boys proud? Or will his dreams of becoming a journalist come at a cost too high to bear?
Blue Mist is a story about South Asian Muslim Men navigating a system that isn’t built for them. Directed by Royal Court Associate Director, Milli Bhatia.
Adrian Lester, best known for his work on television and film, returns to the stage in the eponymous role of Edmond Rostand's 1898 comedy, Cyrano de Bergerac.
Rostland’s play centres around Cyrano - a little-known romantic 17th century French libertine poet, soldier, and philosopher. The play is based partly on his letters written on behalf of his love rival Christian de Neuvillette as he tries to charm Cyrano’s cousin, Roxanne with whom Cyrano is also in love.
Cyrano is cursed with an overt self-consciousness in the form of a large nose. His insecurity is such that he prohibits anyone to refer to it directly or indirectly. Together with his wit, his skills as a swordsman, and the directorial splattering of our own vernacular, they provide the play with a certain infectious - albeit teenage - humour.
Despite Cyrano unexpressed love for Roxanne, the latter has fallen for Christian who is handsome, but useless when it comes to expressing his feelings in words. But then, he is also useless as a swordsman and clearly no match for Cyrano’s mastery and maturity. Realising this and being utterly selfless, Cyrano offers his help to the youthful Christian to woo Roxanne by writing for him poetic and hyperbolic proclamations of love and longing. All he wants is Roxanne to be happy even if he himself has to do with nursing a broken heart.
Christian Patterson and Levi BrownMarc Brenner
The result is a farce of the highest order and mistaken identity, coupled with threat and violence
This RSC production is directed by Simon Evans who has provided a very lively and engaging interpretation by all accounts. Apart from a skilled, highly polished ensemble of cast, there’s interesting theatricality at work. Every now and then, for instance, one gets a sense that the stage is a reflection of our own world and vice versa. Characters mingle with the audience, they break the fourth wall, and the theatre band wander around with the characters and referred to with some bemusement and fun.
In a 17th century French world – not unlike our own, 21st century – external beauty, speech, language are prized. Expression has become almost secondary. It’s a world in which fakery, deception and lies are paced above sincerity, honesty, and truth. Looks and external beauty outweigh the inner beauty of man.
Evans removes the original piece from its French setting to England, littering it with a Brummie accent, and accentuating our preconceptions about hopeless romantics and those with meaningless verbiage. The effect is one of joyous atmosphere and true entertainment.
Adrian Lester provides a magnificent performance as the wordsmith, Cyrano. His character is verbose, comedic, and sympathetic in equal measures. Lester is enticing, hilarious and – judging by the reaction of the audience –appreciated as a versatile actor who can do comedy just as well as drama. Levi Brown’s Christian is a fiery - overtly hopeless - romantic who cannot paint his feelings into words. Brown gives a very energetic and magnetic performance. Similarly, Susannah Fielding provides a sprightly Roxanne who is heart-warming and an utter pleasure to watch.
Adrian Lester (front right) and companyMarc Brenner
It’s hard not to notice but as an audience, we are invited to consider the value of language that may sound romantic, but may – in actual fact – be little more than a shallow expression of fancy. Whereas, the seemingly absence of language – though painfully inadequate - may actually embody real sincerity and the true meaning of love.
Whatever you may think, one thing is certain: you will enjoy this production. It’s a real treat.
The play started at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in early September, with its run lasting until 15th November.
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
(Cyrano de Bergerac is playing at the RSC Stratford until 15th November 2025.)
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