10 Nights, Omnibus Theatre, review

It is not often that we encounter a play about a British Pakistani man. Living in multi-cultural London, you would hope these opportunities would present themselves more often. Having been raised Asia and attended an international school, my curiosity to maintain a diverse circle of friends and remain open-minded to cultural differences and nuances leads me to jump at the opportunities to see plays like 10 Nights. While there were some references I didn’t grasp, the play provided plenty of enlightenment and entertainment.

10 Nights, Azan Ahmed. Photo by Nicola Young.

The Olivier Award nominated play 10 Nights originally staged at the Bush Theatre in 2021 is a one man show written by Shahid Iqbal Khan as part of the Write to Play programme led by Graeae Theatre in partnership with the Bush Theatre. The current production at the Omnibus theatre in Clapham, starring Azan Ahmed as Yassar seems to have taken into account previous critic’s feedback.

The set, though simple, is striking, creating a space within a mosque with only a Wudukhana (area for washing) and a Quran Rehal. Here the audience can experience the isolation of Itikaf, a period of focused worship during the last 10 days of Ramadan. Motion graphics cleverly signal the start of each of the ten days, and captions in both English and Urdu enhance accessibility.

10 Nights, Azan Ahmed. Photo by Nicola Young.

10 Nights unfolds as a monologue, reinforcing the sense of isolation during Itikaf. Azan Ahmed deftly portrays the roles of his father, his uncle and his smug friend Usman, each character with their distinctive accent and physicality.

Yassar, arrives dressed in joggers, carrying “a bag for life” from Tesco with his meagre belongings for his stay. He does not appear to be a particularly dedicated Muslim, and would prefer to just be TikTok famous. He only submitted to Itikaf to please his father and honour his friend, Aftab, who has died in a car accident and whose story is revealed slowly over the 10 days. Much of Yasser’s state of mind stems from the loss of Aftab. We travel with him through this 10 day process where he is forced to confront some truths of his behaviour, faith, and the fate of his friend.  

Ahmed, skilfully guides the audience through Yassar’s journey of self-discovery highlighting the value of uninterrupted introspection- a universal lesson regardless of religious background

10 Nights, Azan Ahmed. Photo by Nicola Young.

We see him fumble through the rituals, struggling with the basic purification ritual of Wudu. We learn with him: wash the right and then the left three times, in order - the face, the hands, the arms and feet, without breaks. There is an undeniable calmness and meditative process to this basic Muslim ritual. As days pass he knows he should be grateful but all he can feel is shame as he is corrected in front of others for the things he does incorrectly. Yet over the days we see his transformation and how he becomes ever more graceful in the way he washes, prays and chants.

Ahmed’s puts on a compelling performance with heart and precise physicality, shifting between the serious and the humorous with great timing and skill. Needless to say one can only admire the strength it takes to carry a play with a solo performance.

10 Nights is a well-paced and entertaining play and a beautiful celebration of the religion and the unique experiences of British Muslims. Definitely a play worth seeing.

Date: until 21 February 2024. Running time: 1h30min. Location: Omnibus Theatre, Clapham. Price: from £16. Book now.

Words by Natascha Milsom