REVIEW: Woman. Life. Freedom at Canal Cafe Theatre and Theatro Technis/ Camden Fringe 4 – 12 August

‘A highly engaging and timely play’ ★★★★

While always ready with hostility, we rarely consider what wearing the hijab means here in the West. In many places around the world to decision to wear or not wear one can literally be life or death, and it’s meditating on this contrast, and doing the best to find the human side to such a divisive issue, that makes WOMAN. LIFE. FREEDOM a highly engaging and timely play.

The story focuses on Meera, a British Muslim woman who one day after seeing the Iranian football team refusing to sing their national anthem in solidarity with the Mahsa Amini protests, decides to stop wearing her hijab. Inevitably, those in her workplace and personal life immediately start asking questions, initially with concern, and then with increasing confusion until a genuine crisis begins to emerge in both her professional and personal life.

This is sensitive subject matter, so it might surprise you to learn that the play is a great laugh throughout, and never at the expense of its central message. The secret here is that the story is kept entirely personal, detailing one woman’s journey through the significant social and cultural issues involving the hijab and Islam. Meera never explicitly gives a reason for her decision, and the discussion of whether or not she even needs one is itself core to the play, a testament to the intelligence of the script by T’arah McDermott.

Key to the success of all this are strong performances by the two leads, Alicia Fernandes as Meera and Yusuf Naya as her husband Zain, who both sell the stakes of each character’s struggle with Meera’s seemingly radical decision while maintaining a firm chemistry that convinces us of their deep commitment to one another. It would be remiss as well not to mention Bushra Baig’s excellent comic timing, getting the best laughs of the night with ease using just her facial expressions.

The only downsides are that on the night some actors did notably fluff their lines, there was more than one significant tech hiccup and the overall production feels too short at 45 minutes. The story ends on what seems like a high between Meera and her husband, but another scene focused on a resolution between Meera and the other characters feels sorely missing.

At the end of the day however, this is that rare work that successfully mixes the personal and political, providing a heartfelt show while delivering a thought-provoking message.

Woman. Life Freedom

Box office: https://camdenfringe.com/events/woman-life-freedom/

Written by T’arah McDermott

Directed by Clara Janssen

Assistant Director – Aditi Dalal

Produced by Gabriele Osella

Reviewed by Harry Conway