REVIEW: Avaaz (Olney Theatre Center)

Happy Norwuz to all who celebrate!

Which, if you’re in attendance at Olney’s Avaaz — you do. Because writer/star Michael Shayan becomes his own mother, Roya, a boisterous Iranian Jew who ended up in 1980s Los Angeles, and fills those shoes with the glamour and taarof of Persian celebration. It’s possible you’ll spend more time getting to-and-from Olney than actually watching the show , but overflowing with enough wealth, connection, and epigram to make it well worth the trip.

Book

Chronicling Roya’s journey from her Tehranian childhood to being uprooted and stuck in LA in the aftermath of the revolution, Shayan’s storytelling is affecting, poignant, and quite funny. He captures his mother’s affability with utmost charisma via the seven traditional elements of a Norwuz feast. Audience interaction is present, but Roya is so welcoming of a character it never feels like a chore; in fact, I was sort of hoping she’d pick me to do a bit. It’s a rather encompassing piece of theatre that does not shy away from all facets of the human condition. You’re left to empathize with grief, longing, moments with friends you can never discuss, but also with the joy of achievement and survival. It can be a bit disjointed, but the contained elements don’t lose their value. Much of it actually resonated with my relationship with my own parents, who aren’t even immigrants, a testament to the enduring nature of the piece. 8/10

Acting

So much of the book is carried by Shayan’s singular performance, so this may just be a continuation of the prior section. He places himself in Roya’s shoes superbly, and carries her range beautifully: using only accents, the suspension of disbelief is manifest. Later on, he begins to morph between he and Roya in dialogue, which grounds the production and envelops the audience with visceral embrace. It’s a great feat of solo performance. 8/10

Production

As you walk in you’re greeted by a stunningly baroque Persian set by Beowulf Borrit, gleaming with opulence and inviting the audience virtually via a panel of three mirrors. Coupling this is the gaudy robes on Roya designed by Domino Schwartz and grooviness of the show’s playlist curated by lead sound designer Noel Nichols. Regal themes persist throughout the show, evidenced by the royal hues of Amith Chandrashaker’s lighting design. The intimacy of the space (it being in Olney’s black box) makes the gaudiness that more special, as each audience member in the performance gets to experience such highfalutin production design right in their face for all 90 minutes. 10/10

Viz

Shayan’s smile is infectious on the cover of the program, but it’s not abundantly clear what he’s smiling about. The scrim, on the other hand, is a gorgeous and sparkling introduction to Persian decadence. Bonus: some banger farsi disco tracks to set the mood. 7/10

Verdict

Avaaz is a short-and-sweet analysis of motherhood and cultural attachment hearteningly told through the lens of a son, bringing together witty facsimile and biting trauma together for a ride as sweet as a Persian sib. 33/40