Review by Sam Waite
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Sometimes it’s only once we’ve lost someone that we come to learn who they once were, before becoming the person who we’d known for so long. This can be especially true for our families, particularly the older generations who had entirely different lives before we knew them. Azan Ahmed confronts the joint struggles of grieving a loved one while coming to realise how little you knew about them, or about who they used to be, in Statues, an intimate exploration in the Bush Theatre’s studio space.
Newly hired as the Head of English at his former secondary school, Yusuf feels largely ready to move past his father’s passing and begin anew. He explains to us that, per Muslim tradition, he has taken the requisite three days to grieve the loss, and now it is time to move on with his life. That is, until the day before the new job begins, when he stumbles across a loud jacket and even louder tapes, revealing his stoic, ever-quiet father as an audacious and gifted one-time rapper. As Yusef and “problem” student Khalil are forced to examine their position as Muslim members of a predominantly-white institution, these recordings also invite us – along with Yusef – into the story of Double-MC, and how this bright, talented young man became a melancholic and reserved father.
Ahmed’s performance, as Yusef, is believable in the efforts to cut short the grieving process without seeming cold or detached, and effectively conveys a man struggling with worldview-decimating information without sharp leans into histrionics. When addressing his audience directly, he makes for a charming and likable figure – not at all like the well-liked and highly-praised kind of teacher he is portraying. Alternately, his interactions with Khalil are sharper, laced with both mutual understanding and misinterpretations of these two men’s reactions to systemic racism and religious prejudice. Ahmed also stars as Mustafa, “Double-MC”, in the flashbacks, bringing both a boisterous confidence and veiled insecurity to the leading man of an ultimately heartbreaking backstory.
Alongside him, co-star Jonny Khan also does double duty, playing both Mustafa’s musical partner Omar, and the supposedly “troubled” student Khalil. In the flashbacks, Khan brings some real gravity to the boyish best friend who wants so badly to drop out and delve fully into music, but is held back by both parental disapproval and his realisation that he needs to have firm, clear plans for life to succeed in a world still so often working against him. Where Khan really shines is in his handful of scenes as Khalil, where he leans into a boldness and energy for disruption that proves to be rooted in deeper insecurities, as well as a strong sense of justice and awareness of the failings of the larger world. With his assured, emotionally delicate performance, the gradual bond between these two generations of Muslim students largely sidesteps the potential triteness of the “teachers learns as much as the student” trope at play.
Because yes, Azan Ahmed’s script is not without its clichés – be they a teacher learning from his “troubled” student, a mourner learning the true value of grief, or two generations disagreeing on the correct approach to discrimination. Still, the full package proves too affecting, too astute in its presentation, for this to be of any real consequence. While Ahmed leans into familiar topics, his rich understanding of them makes them feel fresh in the moment, and his and Khan’s performance’s are strong enough to distract from any occasional familiarities. With director Esme Allman at the helm, the two men transform seamlessly between their characters, and the audience find themselves compelled by both threads – what will become of Mustafa’s firmly-held aspirations, and will his son be able to put his grief aside enough to not play a part in the creation of another stoic, silent statue in Khalil?
With lively original beats from Holly Khan, and a willingness to allow simplicity to guide our imaginations on the part of designer Cara Evans, Statues proves to be an effecting and enjoyable hour-and-change of theatre. For its brevity, it welcomes openminded thought and discussion, and demonstrates the steps forward and steps still to be taken by all generations, and by all walks of life. When Ahmed, helped by movement director Hamza Ali to briefly portray Yusef’s great-aunt, sits down to explain the significance of collective, familial grief, it truly feels as if the audience is being taught an important lesson, and like Yusef is finally receiving the insight which will prove most valuable to his healing.
Confidently presented, well-acted and written with a rich understanding of grief’s complexities, Statues finds new beauty in what could have easily become clichéd and overly-familiar themes. Funny, charming, and willing to take us to darker places when the moment calls for it, the seventy-or-so minutes spent in the Bush’s studio are not unlike a particularly insightful period at school. As the lines blur, and the performances deepen, we come to realise that Azan Ahmed may be just as strong a teacher as the one he has created.
Statues plays at Bush Theatre until November 9th
For tickets and information visit https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/statues/
Photos by Harry Elletson
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