Following a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and a sold-out London season, My English Persian Kitchen returns to Soho Theatre this autumn before embarking on a UK and Ireland tour.
Starring Isabella Nefar (Reading Lolita In Tehran, Salomé, Goats), the life-affirming play by Hannah Khalil is inspired by the true story of best-selling cookery author Atoosa Sepehr and directed by Chris White.
The production opens at Soho Theatre from 30 September to 11 October, moving from the studio to the Main House. It then tours to Bristol Old Vic (14–18 October), Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin (21–22 October), and Lyric Theatre Belfast (24–25 October), as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.
My English Persian Kitchen tells the story of a woman forced to flee her homeland, who finds solace and strength in recreating the dishes of her childhood. With live cooking on stage and the communal sharing of the Persian dish Ash-E Reshteh, the play explores themes of identity, community, and belonging.
Atoosa Sepehr said:
“I didn’t realise how much I love cooking and how much I love food until I had to leave my country. Smell and taste can simply transport you to a different time and place. An important theme in the play for me is the idea that even in our lowest moments life sometimes offers a way out, an opportunity to learn and grow and ultimately to redefine who we are as individuals. Culture truly has no borders and when we migrate to a new country, we take with us aspects of our homeland that can contribute to a wonderfully rich multi-cultural society. I hope audiences will now more than ever in these unsettling times, both in my adopted countries of the UK and also Ireland, find this story an uplifting and empowering one.”
Playwright Hannah Khalil added:
“I did a little dance of joy in my kitchen when I found out My English Persian Kitchen was coming back to Soho Theatre and then touring. To have this as my first play at Bristol Old Vic, where I am currently writer in residence, feels incredibly fitting as it is all about how to find community in new places and the lovely people at Bristol Old Vic have certainly made me feel welcome. And then Ireland! Where I have never had a play before – a homecoming for me – I can’t wait to experience the sounds, sights and smells of this play in my motherland.”
The creative team includes Pip Terry (set and costume), Marty Langthorne (lighting), Dan Balfour (sound), and Jess Tucker Boyd (movement direction). The production runs for 70 minutes, followed by a chance to taste the food prepared on stage.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
