Blue Mist At Stratford East Review
Blue Mist, an Olivier Award–nominated play written by Mohamed‑Zain Dada and directed by Milli Bhatia, is a thoughtful look at how young Muslim men see themselves and how the media sees them. When Jihad, an aspiring British Pakistani journalist, wins the chance to make his own documentary, he hopes to give voice to his community and challenge the usual stereotypes. Very quickly he finds himself trying to stay authentic while working with a media company that has its own agenda. The play asks how far one voice can really go.
It begins as a light comedy: three friends hanging out at Chunkyz Shisha Lounge. Most of the play takes place here, with bright green seating, a neon sign above and the shared shisha pipe creating a space where Jihad, Rashid and Asif joke, dream and talk about relationships, family and the world. As they say, “Some want a pint, some want a pipe,” and the play captures that sense of belonging to a place beautifully. As the playwright puts it, Blue Mist is “a story about young Muslim men carving out joy and identity… the spaces that hold us together and the laughter that comes from everyday moments in our communities.”
The plot follows a familiar pattern — three close friends, one big opportunity, a betrayal and an attempt to make things right. Even though the arc is predictable and the betrayal doesn’t quite land with full emotional weigh, the characters feel real. Asif wants to support his family, Rashid wants to help his community, and Jihad wants to succeed in the career he studied for. These are recognisable motivations for young people in their mid‑20s, and the conversations between them feel authentic, jumping from one topic to the next with the chaotic rhythm of real friendship. The cast — Azan Ahmed, Omar Bynon and Kashif Ghole — bring an easy, energetic chemistry that makes their bond believable. Bynon returns to the role of Jihad after originating it at The Royal Court in 2023, and Sanjeev Bhaskar voices Chunky, the unseen owner of the lounge.
The play is also about, as Dada says, “how the media wilfully misrepresents us, distorts our humanity and makes us out to be monsters.” It explores racism, class, diaspora identity and the pressure of being politicised. The questions it raises linger: does blame lie with the individual, or with the structures that push people into impossible choices? How narratives are shaped — and who gets to decide them. While the media company’s perspective is voiced by the actors playing Rashid and Asif, this choice slightly softens the impact; an external unseen voice might have made the point even sharper.
As a white woman, I found myself thinking about the universal parts of early adulthood: shaky confidence, big dreams, learning independence, friendships that shift as you grow. Blue Mist is rooted in the experiences of young South Asian Muslim men, but the emotional landscape is familiar. It’s refreshing to see these stories portrayed on stage with complexity.
Many audience members were chuckling throughout. The play even begins with a loud jolt that makes the audience laugh at themselves. The sudden burst into a rewritten Mary Poppins number (“a spoonful of Muslim helps the news go down — in the most alarming way!”) had the audience laughing, but it pulled me out of the story.
Ultimately, Blue Mist is a story about young Muslim men carving out identity and community, trying to find their place in the world. It’s about the spaces that hold people together and the friendships that shape them. Boundless Theatre extends that spirit beyond the stage: working with partner venues, they will recruit and train six young people as Community Producers to create free events inspired by the play, focusing on South Asian and Muslim arts and audiences.
The production has been on a national tour since 17 June and will run until 30 July. It plays at Theatre Royal Stratford East from 10–14 July, Birmingham Rep from 22–25 July, and Curve Theatre, Leicester from 28–30 July.
Address: Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, Theatre Square, London E15 1BN
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluemistplay
Website: https://www.boundlesstheatre.org.uk
