EDINBURGH 2025: Review: NOWHERE - HERE & NOW SHOWCASE, Traverse Theatre

Khalid Abdalla (The Kite Runner, The Crown) redefines and reclaims the solo show in a lyrical tapestry where resistance, displacement and selfhood are delicately woven through an avant-garde aesthetic. At its heart lies a searing question voiced at the start: ‘This nowhere is safe. But there are places in the world where nowhere is safe. And when the unfathomable becomes persistent, where do you go?’

Abdalla’s soft-spoken, natural demeanour is immediately endearing - he is a born storyteller, at times reminding me of a meditation guide. The entire piece unfolds like a poetic meditation, carrying us through shifting lifelines and emotions. Described as an “anti-biography,” it recounts Abdalla’s involvement in the 2011 Egyptian revolution and pays tribute to the wisdom of his late friend Aalam Wassef, who is a consistent motif throughout the piece. We also learn of Abdalla's family including his father and grandfather who were prominent activists in Egypt.

The show does exhibit grim images of war - it has to. However, it is not unrelentingly heavy. Woven into the fabric are moments of humour, intimacy, and levity. Abdalla proves himself an immensely impressive theatremaker, delivering a masterclass in the use of theatrical multimedia, translucent curtains, shifting accents, inventive sound design, fluid movement, and subtle audience involvement to create an ornately immersive journey.

He closes with fragile optimism because, as he admits, without hope he could not continue. His final words remind us that “the ground under our feet belongs to all of us,” leaving the audience with both responsibility and resolve. Vulnerable, slick, and beautiful, I've never quite experience anything like this show. He was fully deserving of his standing ovation at the end - there weren't many dry eyes in the room. In today’s climate, this is not just theatre but an urgent call to empathy and awareness. It is an important piece that everyone should see.

Nowhere - Here & Now Showcase is at the Traverse Theatre until 24 August.

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