South Coast Repertory’s production of “Wish You Were Here” was the first play to ever bring tears to my eyes.
This heart-rending play, written by Sanaz Toossi and directed by Mina Morita, follows the story of five women as time and political turmoil split them apart and bring them together over and over again.
Set against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution, “Wish You Were Here” tells an intimate story of love, loss and change. The play features a cast of five actresses portraying six characters, who navigate tempestuous lives and relationships over the years.
Taking place mostly during the ‘70s and ‘80s when women were being forced out of public life in Iran, the play’s only setting is the characters’ homes. Three different weddings occur over the course of the story, but we never see or hear the grooms. We only hear of the men in these women’s lives through discussions they have with each other.
The tight-knit but troubled friend group is made up of five women: Rana (Sahar Bibiyan), Zari (Mitra Jouhari), Salme (Tara Grammy), Nazanin (Nazanin Nour) and Shideh (Artemis Pebdani). Each actress fully embodied their character while complementing and juxtaposing each other. The characters make up a perfectly balanced yet eclectic group of female friends facing marriage, family, careers, immigration and uncertain futures.
Zari (Jouhari) spends much of the story smiling through her pain, making her rare moments of anger and grief all the more impactful. Jouhari’s transformation into Zari was so complete, it was nearly impossible to recognize her from previous TV roles I’d seen her in.
Salme (Grammy) acts as the cornerstone of the group, keeping everyone connected with quiet strength and optimism that prevents much of the story from feeling hopeless. Nazanin (Nour) is the most complex character; her simmering rage and frustration feels understandable as her dreams of an education and career are thwarted by the regime, while her loved ones repeatedly face the choice of staying by her side or fleeing to safety.
Shideh (Pebdani) provides much of the humor and is arguably the most fearless, determined to achieve her goals despite societal barriers. Pebdani’s delivery amplifies the comedy in her already witty lines, making her a standout in a cast full of nuanced performances.
Rana (Bibiyan) is a character whose absence is felt as much as her presence. It was a powerful monologue delivered by Bibiyan that moved me most during the performance, and it will likely hit close to home with any child of immigrants whose parents had to flee their homes.
With such a small cast, the characters’ interactions became the centerpiece of the play, as their conversations see-sawed between words of love, comfort, anger, bitterness and longing. Their evolving relationships and personal upheavals reflect the weight of the political turmoil happening around them, as explosives drop from the sky, leaders rise and fall and Iranians increasingly have to consider escaping their homeland.
The set design was simple yet effective, creating an intimate environment for the story to unfold in. A few carefully chosen pieces of furniture were rearranged between scenes to subtly reflect the passage of time and location, while maintaining the feeling of familiarity and domesticity that tied the characters to one another.
The emotional impact of “Wish You Were Here” on the audience was undeniable, and several people sitting in the center of the crowd gave the actors a standing ovation.
“Wish You Were Here” will be at the South Coast Repertory, located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, until Feb. 2. Performances will take place on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:45 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:45 p.m., Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.