You Gotta Have Friends

Wish You Were Here

Both brutally frank and brashly funny, Iranian-American playwright Sanaz Toossi’s comic drama presents a truth universally acknowledged. No, it’s not, as Jane Austen claimed, that “a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Although that may be true, Toossi’s play is a celebration of confidants, companions and chums. Friends, as someone once said, make life brighter, funnier and a whole lot more memorable. In this exquisite one-act, by the Pulitzer Prize winner in Drama for ENGLISH, audiences should get ready to smile, laugh and maybe even shed a tear amid the beautiful chaos of, as Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, the “gift you give yourself.” Because, as Bette Midler sang, You Gotta Have Friends. And being Friends is what this play is all about.

Told through a series of chronological scenes, spanning between 1978 and 1991, this is the story of a tight-knit friendship between six suburban Iranian women. It’s about individual wants and needs, pleasures and predicaments. Each scene revolves around various life events: weddings, births, education, new jobs and death. The story focuses on the women’s ambitions, loves, jealousies and emigration while facing the future. Adding to the women’s personal compromises and conflicts, they must all cope with their changing world. Protests and demonstrations are raging across Iran as the Islamic Revolution culminates in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty. The Imperial State of Iran is soon replaced by the Islamic Republic; and the Shah of Iran is succeeded by Islamist cleric, Ruhollah Khomeini, marking the end of Iran’s monarchy. But despite all the upheaval and turmoil going on, the women are never portrayed as victims. Instead, they draw strength from each other through their friendships.

The cast of five actresses are all majestically talented and charismatic. Under the expert Direction of Azar Kazemi, the ensemble cast members each commit fully to their individual characters, serving up unique and layered portrayals of real, honest women. Each actress gets her own moment to shine throughout this 100-minute play. The talented cast includes Shadee Vossoughi, Gloria Imseih Petrelli, Yourtana Sulaiman, Tina Arfee (who plays two different characters) and Joan Nahid.

Lauren M. Nichols’ beautiful Scenic Design depicts a stylish, living/dining room in an Iranian house or apartment, but it could easily be somewhere in America. The various scenes are delineated through Conchita Avita’s Lighting Design and Thomas Dixon’s thoughtful Sound blueprint. And, doing a monumental job of creating an overwhelming variety of wardrobe for her actors, Costume Designer Kristy Leigh Hall is fantastic. Brava for bringing color, style and texture into every scene and for making each character appear an individual.

But there are a few problems with the play and the production. Because, as in real life, some of the dialogue overlaps at times, it can be difficult to understand some of what’s being said. As the years go by, the passage of time is evident to the audience because of projections that flash across the proscenium. However, because the five actors resemble each other, and often change hairstyles as well as costumes, it was difficult to recall which character was which. And, until almost near the end of the play, I was confused. I didn’t understand that the different scenes were taking place in the homes or apartments of different characters.

But, despite these minor problems, Azar Kazemi’s excellent production of Sanaz Toossi’s WISH YOU WERE HERE provides a thrilling and thought-provoking evening of theatre, laced with a lot of adult humor. This blunt, bold and often brazen one-act offers a whole lot of comedy, as well as plenty of heartbreak and unhappiness. The play is an honest portrayal of the closeness, harmony and discord that often takes place between the best of buddies. But in the end it’s usually all worth while, because You gotta have friends.    

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented September 18-October 19 by Remy Bumppo at Theater Wit, 1229 West Belmont Ave.

Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 773-975-8150 or by going to www.remybumppo.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.