Review: REVOLUTION DAYS, Citizens Theatre

Revolution Days is a one-act play written by Mariem Omari, directed by Shilpa T-Hyland and produced by Bijil Productions.

Based on true events, Samira is a young woman who sets out in 2010 to report on events in the Middle East revolutions. While her friends are travelling around Thailand, she is heading to war-torn countries to do valuable work documenting atrocities.

Samira (Olivia Hemmati) is a mixed-race Scottish woman who is fluent in Arabic, which is invaluable to her work. Her British passport and Scottish nationality get her across borders more easily, but she has a strong understanding of the other cultures where she is travelling.

Hemmati gives us a bold and fearless Samira, but also does a wonderful job of showcasing her more vulnerable side as the trauma begins to take its toll. While largely observing the revolutions from the outside, she has seen and heard stories that have had a profound emotional and physical effect on her. The real breaking point is when she realises that people in the Western world know these things are happening, but they just don’t care.

Omari’s writing is excellent, and Revolution Days is well-paced. Hemmati is a captivating performer and holds a strong connection with the audience while effortlessly shifting between characters. 

Revolution Days is a powerful piece of theatre that strikes the perfect balance between informative and emotional.

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