A cartoon image of a man sat cross legged on a rub throwing water over his face
THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

10 NIGHTS

AN OLIVIER AWARD FINALIST PLAY BY SHAHID IQBAL KHAN PRESENTED BY PHIZZICAL
One man’s spiritual journey is about to begin…after he’s posted one last TikTok

When Yasser decides to take part in itikaf, sleeping and fasting in the mosque for the last ten nights of Ramadan, he soon regrets his decision. But as he navigates smug worshippers, shared bathrooms, and recurring thoughts of chunky chips, Yasser’s isolation forces him to confront a side of himself he’s been trying to keep hidden. 

A moving and funny play, 10 Nights is the story of one man’s journey of self-discovery, and facing the consequences of your actions. 

Writer Shahid Iqbal Khan, who joined the Phizzical Productions family as a mentee in 2006, is excited to tour his joyous play in a new staging. 10 Nights was developed through the Write to Play Programme by Graeae Theatre Company, with dramaturgy by Oladipo Agboluaje, and premiered at the Bush Theatre in 2021 in a co-production with Tamasha Theatre Company.

Performed in English with some Urdu and Arabic references. The show has captions in English and Urdu 

Post show discussions.

13 February Men & Vulnerability

Panel: Baroness Shaista Gohir, women’s right campaigner & CEO Muslim Women’s Network UK, Islah Abdur-Rahman, actor/director & part of The Corner Shop Network championing positive ethnic representation and Azan Ahmed, poet, playwright and performer in 10 Nights

20 Feb Page to Stage: The Creative Process

Harris Albar, Assistant Producer at Tamasha will host this post show conversation talking to members of the creative team of 10 Nights will include: Rajiv Pattani, Lighting Designer, Sarah Sayeed Sound designer, Hamza Ali (tbc) Movement Director and performer Azan Ahmed 

Time: 30-40 minutes.

Free to ticket holders.  

7-21 FEB
7:30PM TUE-SAT
4PM SUN
£18 STANDARD
£16 CONCESSION
£10 PREVIEWS

10 NIGHTS

AN OLIVIER AWARD FINALIST PLAY BY SHAHID IQBAL KHAN PRESENTED BY PHIZZICAL
One man’s spiritual journey is about to begin…after he’s posted one last TikTok

When Yasser decides to take part in itikaf, sleeping and fasting in the mosque for the last ten nights of Ramadan, he soon regrets his decision. But as he navigates smug worshippers, shared bathrooms, and recurring thoughts of chunky chips, Yasser’s isolation forces him to confront a side of himself he’s been trying to keep hidden. 

A moving and funny play, 10 Nights is the story of one man’s journey of self-discovery, and facing the consequences of your actions. 

Writer Shahid Iqbal Khan, who joined the Phizzical Productions family as a mentee in 2006, is excited to tour his joyous play in a new staging. 10 Nights was developed through the Write to Play Programme by Graeae Theatre Company, with dramaturgy by Oladipo Agboluaje, and premiered at the Bush Theatre in 2021 in a co-production with Tamasha Theatre Company.

Performed in English with some Urdu and Arabic references. The show has captions in English and Urdu 

Post show discussions.

13 February Men & Vulnerability

Panel: Baroness Shaista Gohir, women’s right campaigner & CEO Muslim Women’s Network UK, Islah Abdur-Rahman, actor/director & part of The Corner Shop Network championing positive ethnic representation and Azan Ahmed, poet, playwright and performer in 10 Nights

20 Feb Page to Stage: The Creative Process

Harris Albar, Assistant Producer at Tamasha will host this post show conversation talking to members of the creative team of 10 Nights will include: Rajiv Pattani, Lighting Designer, Sarah Sayeed Sound designer, Hamza Ali (tbc) Movement Director and performer Azan Ahmed 

Time: 30-40 minutes.

Free to ticket holders.  

7-21 FEB
7:30PM TUE-SAT
4PM SUN
£18 STANDARD
£16 CONCESSION
£10 PREVIEWS

★★★★

“sharp comic timing and a lot of heart”

Operation Live Theatre

★★★★

“Finely performed account of one man’s journey to redemption – moving and funny.”

Reviewsgate

★★★★

“A seldom-told experience of a young Muslim man grappling with his identity”

North West End

“10 Nights is a very enjoyable, thought-provoking and moving play”

The Theatre Times

“Slow-burning, smartly written”

The Stage

★★★★

“A captivating piece of storytelling, featuring a community that remains underrepresented on stage, and it has a lovely heart”

What’s On Stage

Oliver Nominated Play

Best Stage Production, Asian Media Awards

10 Nights | Rehearsal Gallery

  • A black and white photo of a man who's face is scrunched, as if in pain. His hands are outstretched in front of him.
  • A man holds a bouquet of roses in front of him. He looks worried.
  • A black and white image of a man wearing a Taqiyah and reading the Quran which is propped in a book stand.
  • A man has his eyes closed and his hands in his hair.
  • A black and white image of a man. He is on the floor of an empty hall. His limbs are outstretched.
  • A man is a lunge position and reach's out towards the camera with his hand.
  • A black and white photo of a man who points to the right of the frame. He is shouting. He is a empty room.
  • A man is talking and looking out beyond the camera. He looks' worried.

Photo credit: Catherine Frawley

10 Nights | Production Gallery

  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a nike camouflage hoodie and looks surprised.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a Kurta, sat cross legged on the floor and holds his two hands out in front of him staring at them with wide eyes
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wearing a Kurta kneels on the floor with a spotlight on him. He gestures towards himself.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a Kurta and holds his mouth open shocked. The lighting is blue.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a Kurta and a Taqiyah. He holds a plastic Tesco bag and looks up into the audience. The stage has two door ways lit in neon green, and a mosque is projected behind him.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a camouflage nike hoodie and gestures with his hand away from him.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a Kurta and a Taqiyah. He is sat cross legged on the floor reading the Quran on a wooden Quran stand. A Tesco plastic bag sits behind him.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a nike camouflage hoodie and looks disgusted as he holds a plastic Tesco bag.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wearing a Kurta points into the crowd. There is projection behind him with captions in Urdu and English.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a Kurta and a Taqiyah. He is cleaning the floor on his hands and knees.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a Kurta and a Taqiyah. He gestures with his hands directed towards the floor.
  • Azan Ahmed, a young south asian man, wears a camouflage nike hoodie, he is sat cross legged with blue socks.

Photo credit: Nicola Young

10 Nights | Vox Pops

Cinematographer & Editor: Alicia Bridge

A headshot of actor Azan Ahmed

Azan Ahmed

Actor

 Azan stars as Eddie Suleman in the ITV series  Van Der Valk alongside Marc Warren and recently seen in a guest role in ITVX’s new comedy Count Abdulla. His television credits include; Mood (BBC/Bonafide), Hope Street (BBC/Britbox), Casualty (BBC), and Doctors (BBC)

Film roles include;  What’s Love Got To Do With It?(Instinct Productions) and Now and Then(BFI)

Most recently, he was at the National Theatre playing the roles of Daulat & British Policeman in their stunning production of The Father and the Assassin. Azan played the role of Ferdinand at Shakespeare’s Globe in their latest production of The Tempest, directed by Diane Page. His other theatre credits include; Conspiracy (New Diorama Theatre & Underbelly Edinburgh), This isn’t a True Story (Almeida Theatre), Cacophony (Yard Theatre)  & Never Swim Alone (Etcetera Theatre). Pre-covid he was in rehearsals for  Jack Absolute Strikes Again at the National Theatre, playing the role of Flight Sergeant Sampson. 

Headshot of writer Shahid Iqbal Khan

Shahid Iqbal Khan

Writer

Shahid Iqbal Khan is an Offies-finalist and Olivier Award-nominated playwright published by Methuen Drama. His full-length stage plays are Stardust (Belgrade Theatre) and 10 Nights (premiered at Bush Theatre). On radio, he made his Afternoon Drama debut with Love Across The Ages (BBC Radio 4). Other works in his audio portfolio include shorts Bhavika, Night of the Living Flatpacks (both on community channels) and Brandlesholme (Sheltering) (BBC Radio 4).

As one of the winners of the Peggy Ramsay / Film 4 bursary award for 2024, Shahid Iqbal Khan is on attachment to Paines Plough. He is on the Genesis New Writers programme (Almeida Theatre commission) and is also a recipient of the NT Peter Shaffer commission (Octagon Theatre).

In 2023, he was on a fellowship with Factory International, looking at multiple art forms and developing skills like curating and producing. He was also commissioned by Appetite and New Vic Theatre to work on their project Punjab To The Potteries. In 2022, he undertook an attachment residency with Graeae Theatre and Royal Court Theatre, working on a co-commission. 

Born and based in the northern town of Bury, Shahid Iqbal Khan’s foray into creative writing began with a short play for Carol Godby’s Festival of Plays (Met Theatre, Bury). He joined the Manchester Muslim Writers’ group not long after. This collective gave him the confidence to write poetry and to share it with a wider audience at poetry recital events. 

Book Now

Concessions

Concessions apply to students, under-18s, over-60s and more. For more info on our concession policy click here→

Accessibility

All performance spaces and facilities are fully wheelchair-accessible. For more info please contact Box Office on 0207 498 4699.

Ticket Collection

We operate a paperless box office system. You will be emailed a receipt once you have booked in advance. There is no need to print this off, just state your name at the box office on arrival.

Café Bar

Serving a menu of hot drinks, craft beers, wine and seasonal cocktails before and after every show and a full home-made food menu including freshly baked pastries, delicious cakes and savoury light bites from Friday – Sunday. 

Content Warnings

Contains references to death

Find out more here.

Age Recommendation

12+

Duration

1hr30m

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