Phizzical Productions announces the return of Shahid Iqbal Khan’s Olivier Award-nominated play 10 Nights, which will open at Riverside Studios on Wednesday 8 January 2025, ahead of a UK tour.
Sâmir Bhamra directs Adeel Ali in this heartfelt and humorous one-man play exploring themes of faith, community, and self-discovery.
10 Nights opens at Riverside Studios Hammersmith (8 – 26 January) before touring to Derby Theatre (27 – 28 January), The Lowry Manchester (30 January – 1 February), Lawrence Batley Theatre (4 – 5 February) and Birmingham Hippodrome (6 – 8 February).
When Yasser decides to take part in itikaf—spending the last ten nights of Ramadan in quiet reflection at a mosque—he encounters unexpected challenges. Between navigating communal spaces, the quirks of his fellow worshippers, and cravings for chunky chips, Yasser’s journey becomes one of reckoning with hidden truths about himself and his relationships.
This gentle and powerful story blends humour and poignancy, offering a touching portrayal of a young man trying to reconcile his faith, personal struggles, and aspirations. At its heart, the play is a coming-of-age story about fractured friendships and a community striving to live with dignity, hope, and unity.
Shahid Iqbal Khan, writer of 10 Nights, said: “2024 began beautifully with Phizzical Productions’ gorgeous production of 10 Nights. I am looking forward to their remount once more in 2025. It has become a festive tradition to watch 10 Nights while the month of Ramadan is nigh. I love that the 2025 tour will go even further north this time to places like Huddersfield and Greater Manchester. I am excited to see Adeel Ali in the role of Yasser—I can’t wait to see what he comes up with!”
The role of Yasser will be performed by Adeel Ali, a versatile and classically trained actor with a breadth of experience across stage and screen. Adeel has brought to life a diverse range of characters, from Shakespearean roles to contemporary works like Atiha Sen Gupta’s What Fatima Did, appearing at major UK theatres. His screen credits include a recurring role in the upcoming series The Family Man and appearances in feature films such as Jawani Jaaneman.
Adeel Ali said: “I am thrilled to be cast in 10 Nights, a phenomenal play that will allow me to portray different characters, reflecting society, understanding religion, and celebrating a time of togetherness of community.”
Director Sâmir Bhamra added: “10 Nights is about more than just theatre -it’s the kind of British Asian story we need right now – human, relatable, and unapologetically real, that truly reflects our diverse society. Shahid’s play dismantles stereotypes about Muslim men with warmth, grace, and humour and I am delighted that our venue partners are working with us to welcome communities who have been constantly ignored.”
The voice and text coach is Salvatore Sorce, costume design for 10 Nights is by Simron Sabri, sound design is by Sarah Sayeed and Reuben Cook, video production is by Rudi Okasili-Henry with lighting design by Rajiv Pattani, movement direction by Hamza Ali with Samina Ali as creative producer.
