Review: UNDER THE SHADOW, Almeida Theatre
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
Under the Shadow opens with Shideh (Leila Farzad) practising her aerobics routine to an illegal Jane Fonda workout tape in post-revolutionary Tehran. As bombs rumble in the distance, we learn that Iraq is bombing the city, and men are being sent to the front. Shideh tries to exercise her nerves away, but to no avail. Having lost her mother and been rusticated from medical school for expressing her political beliefs, she feels adrift and purposeless. Her husband, Iraj (Nicholas Karimi), a doctor who has also been summoned to serve, is adamant that Shideh and their daughter Dorsa (Esma Akar) should leave Tehran and stay with his parents in the north.
Having already endured cramped sleeping arrangements and endless household duties on a previous visit, Shideh refuses. She is determined to remain rooted in her home for as long as possible. As much as she resents the life she has been forced into, this flat is her sanctuary.
Ben Stones' set design is exceptional. The apartment feels warm, lived-in and perfectly imperfect. As the play progresses and the home becomes subject to missiles, shrapnel and increasingly mysterious happenings, the set adapts seamlessly. James Farncombe's lighting complements this beautifully, making every disturbance feel immediate and unnervingly real.
At the heart of the story is Shideh's relationship with her neighbours: the expectant Ebrahimis, father and daughter duo- the Bijaris, Mrs Fakur, and the mysterious orphan boy Mehdi. As the residents huddle together in the basement shelter, listening to bombs rain down above them, the production creates a striking tableau of civilian life during war. In the current political climate, it is impossible not to think about the countless families around the world enduring similar circumstances and wonder whether their stories will ever reach us.
As the families emerge from the bunker and Iraj leaves for military service, a series of strange events unfolds. Mr Bijari dies unexpectedly, Dorsa's beloved doll disappears, and her unexplained fever continues to worsen. Gradually, Shideh becomes convinced that their home has been invaded by a Djinn (supernatural spirit). Torn between protecting her daughter, reclaiming her education and preserving the home she refuses to abandon, she finds herself fighting a battle on every front.
The cast excel at creating and sustaining tension. Nadia Albina, Souad Faress and Mona Goodwin all deliver compelling performances that help maintain an atmosphere thick with dread and anticipation. The inevitable jump scares feel earned rather than cheap, executed with remarkable precision through Scott Penrose's illusion work and Donato Wharton's unsettling sound design.
As the pressure mounts, we watch Shideh, who has spent so long holding everything together, begin to unravel. She cannot save her neighbour, restore her medical career or ease her daughter's worsening condition. By the final act, it becomes increasingly clear that the Djinn may be more than a supernatural presence. It feels like a manifestation of grief, oppression, fear and all the things Shideh has been forced to carry alone.
What emerges is not simply a horror story but a portrait of resilience. Beneath the scares lies a moving exploration of motherhood, displacement and female agency in a world determined to restrict it. Watching Shideh confront her fears and fight for a better future for herself and Dorsa is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
A tense, inventive and surprisingly moving piece of theatre that proves horror can be incredibly effective on stage when handled with this much care and imagination.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: A.M.H.
Under the Shadow plays at London’s Almeida Theatre until 4 July, with further info here.
