Review: Ostan (Park Theatre)

Review by Sam Waite

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All too often, we hear about people leaving their homes and travelling to other counties in search of a better life. What is less talked about, or perhaps less willingly acknowledged, is what happens when these same people struggle against the system in an effort to be granted Indefinite Remain to Leave. In a world premiere at the Park Theatre, Arzhang Pezhman’s Ostan shines a light on how tedious this process can become, and the impact it can have on the applicant’s quality of life.

Rebin has been in the UK for nearly a decade, living in a rented room and working at one of Persian businessman Shapur’s carwashes. In the plentiful downtime between customers – Shapur’s other washes have better prices and more loyal customer bases – Rebin is perpetually on hold with UK Immigration, chasing for any updates on his long-standing, increasingly-overdue application. Alongside new colleague Gorkem, a proud Turkish-Kurd, he continues to earn what money he can, but a sense of discomfort creeps in when his loyal customer, and mates-rates claimant, Noah is enlisted by Shapur to traffic more immigrants into an unforgiving system.

Ostan demonstrates Pezhman’s clear knack for natural dialogue, particularly in the contrast between Gorkem’s broken English and Rebin’s naturalised London drawl. Where Gorkem’s speech is often measured and awkward, struggling to learn what turns of phrase are to be taken seriously and which are simply sayings, Rebin uses slang liberally, clearly having done his time as a London resident. Pezhman also shows a strong sense of pacing, the 90 minutes covering the crucial details of the plot without feeling overstuffed or as if things have been excised to avoid bloating.

Admittedly, there is an awkward twist at the play’s finale, where a determination to tie up all loose ends stretches our suspension of disbelief in an otherwise naturalist, reality-based performance – a shocking moment cuts the show to black, and it was hard not to feel that this final scene only blunted the impact.

British-Turkish actor Ojan Genc does a brilliant job as Rebin, masterfully embodying the combination of a firmly-embedded Londoner and a man increasingly unsure of his position. His good-natured humour and emotional turmoil both come across clearly on Genc’s face, and even his physicality is that of a slightly-lazy man whose energy has been too occupied elsewhere. Gorkem, a boisterous Serkan Avlik, proves to be a charming match for him, bringing a contrasting enthusiasm and anger that comes across in every heated discussion of their Kurdish roots and Rebin’s determination to move away from the past.

Carefully using Liz Cooke’s narrow, well-detailed carwash set, Gaby Dellal’s direction leans into the story’s inherent naturalism. No performer has been guided into overstated theatrics, and the movement is kept authentic to the location and to the jobs being done, aided by how realistically Cooke has brought the small business to life. Movement director Bobak Champion must also be applauded, as all of the characters have a clear personality to the way they hold themselves, whether stood still or walking about the space. Accompanying the movement, Oguz Kaplangi’s sound design fills in for imagined objects through well-timed sound effects adjoined with a kick, a drop, or a spray of water.

With strong performances from El Anthony (Noah), Mohsen Ghaffari (manager Destan), and Dana Haqjoo (Shapur), Ostan is a powerful piece of work with a lot to say about difficult but essential topics. From the immigration system to human trafficking, from dirty business tactics to the genuine threat of deportation. There are stumbles along the way – videos of Noah and Rebin’s video games displayed overhead can be awkward, especially when a mid-game buffer looks very much like a character selection screen, and the aforementioned twist in the final scenes stretches the imagination. Still, the bulk of what happens on the stage is excellent, and the sheer strength of Pehzman’s writing means that the potential fallout of the finale is somewhat saved.

In this world premiere production, Ostan is in strong shape and worthy of a larger production down the line. With astute observations of the UK Immigration system, and how challenging it can be to become a permanent citizen of the only country you’ve ever truly known as home, this is a play with clarity of purpose and a rich understanding of its content. Winningly funny and humanly devastating, Ostan proves itself necessary, and Pezhman and Dellal’s nuanced work proves invaluable.

Ostan plays at the Park Theatre until October 12th

For tickets and information visit https://parktheatre.co.uk/event/ostan/

Photos by Jack Bush