Ellen Nikbakht as Zari, Layan Elwazani as Salme, Ellena Eshraghi as Zari, Ari Derambakhsh as Rana, and Shadee Vossoughi as Shideh. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Beyond the startling headlines, political uprisings, and incessant strife that is western media’s portrayal of the Middle East are human beings living through a history they didn’t ask for. While significantly encumbered, their very existence isn’t entirely defined by a political state. Yet so often, pervasively superficial understanding confines Middle Eastern existence to just that – victims and political symbols. “Wish You Were Here” at Studio Theatre sets out to change that perception through a story of ordinarily intricate friendship in the midst of a war. The outcome is poignant to say the least.
…poignant…impeccable delivery and direction…superb performances…
“Wish You Were Here” is the second stage play from Pulitzer Prize-winning writer (“English,” 2023), Sanaz Toossi. The play made it’s world premiere at the 2020 Williamstown Theatre Festival before debuting Off-Broadway in 2022 at Playwrights Horizons. Now at Studio, where Toossi’s “English” was produced just before it received its Pulitzer, the intimacy of this material is on full display.
Toossi’s witty love letter to Iranian friendship opens without pause just before Salme’s (Layan Elwazani) wedding night in 1978 Karaj, Iran. Amidst the comforting commotion of female friendship and blissfully irreverent jokes, what lies in wait is almost forgotten. The Iranian Revolution would eventually topple the country’s monarchy in 1979 when Iran became a theocratic Islamic Republic. With that, comes a significant shift in women’s rights and a forced reimposition of the hijab in public. In the years following, a devastating war with Iraq and numerous protests would ensue.
“Wish You Were Here” maintains the aftershocks of this political tension while fading its relevance to important subtext. After Salme’s wedding, Toossi immediately establishes her piece as an exhibit of the ever-changing nature of friendships between those that stay and those that go. Through the thirteen years tracked in the play, the close-knit chaotic crew of five operating in private spaces weigh critical decisions, challenge their relationships, and most importantly laugh a lot until only one remains in Iran, alone.
Toossi’s book is miraculously humorous, largely due to the unabashed normalcy of private conversations between a group of girlfriends. Comedy is used as a way in for the audience. Still, the show takes an intentional tone from the moment the group bursts through the door, upholding its levity until it’s just not possible anymore. The girls are acutely aware of their situation but don’t let it stop them from being truly themselves. Logistically, scenes are divided as each year goes by, interluded by comforting projections of the girls’ time seemingly outside the play’s universe. This allows for a segmented pace that aptly slows with progression.
These droll words steeped in love would be lost without impeccable delivery and direction, that which Studio Theatre’s production has in abundance. At the helm, Director Sivan Battat lingers on silent beats just long enough to assign meaning beyond what words can express. As an ensemble, the cast curates a natural chemistry that acts as a reflection for audiences to more closely connect with the play’s themes.
Individually, the quintet of friends are suitably distinct in their performances. Where Layan Elwazani’s Salme allows the slightest cracks of emotion underscore her poise, Ellena Eshraghi’s Zari is distinctly nuanced in the arch of her energy. Shadee Vossoughi’s Shideh whispers an unannounced grace while Ari Derambakhsh’s Rana is captivatingly carefree until she can’t be anymore. Carrying the 100 minutes is Ellen Nikbakht as Nazanin. Their ability to gradually transition an unaware Nazanin into everything she never wanted to be is masterful.
Behind the superb performances, Omid Akbari’s set comprised of dark wood and mosaic-like windows stays affectively stagnant, with the exception of a few moving parts, as interactions cycle through private spaces. Emphasizing the subtextual tragic undercurrents are strategically placed missile alarms sounding (Sound Design by Kenny Neal) through the theatre.
The essence of “Wish You Were Here” at Studio Theatre is immaculately summed up by its own words, “just because there’s a war, doesn’t mean we have to be boring.” Though the play is set around a time of political turmoil, it does not revolve around it. Instead, it reflects the persistence of female friendship despite time, place, or religion. The avenue through which it communicates its vital message is unique and necessary.
Running Time: Approximately one hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.
Advisory: Set against the historical backdrop of the Iranian Revolution and Iran-Iraq War, includes depictions of life during wartime, including during an active air raid, alongside depictions of menstrual fluid. Includes loud noises, moving lights, and water vapor from simulated smoking.
“Wish You Were Here” runs through November 1, 2026 at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at (202) 332-3300 or go online.
