A remarkable celebration of human connection
There are very few plays where neither the audience nor the performer knows exactly what is about to happen. White Rabbit Red Rabbit, which I saw on 8 June at the Duchess Theatre in London, is one of them. Written by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, the play was born out of a unique circumstance: when Soleimanpour wrote it, he did not have a passport and was unable to leave Iran. Instead, he created a work that could travel the world on his behalf, giving him a voice wherever it was performed.
Since its premiere in 2011, the play has been translated into more than 30 languages and staged over 3,000 times by some of the world’s most celebrated actors. This year marks the play’s 15th anniversary, and we were fortunate enough to attend the opening night of its latest London run.
One of the most unique aspects of White Rabbit Red Rabbit is that each performance features a different actor. The performer receives a sealed envelope containing the script and encounters it for the very first time on stage, in front of the audience. There are no rehearsals and no prior preparation.
Although this was my second time seeing the play, having attended last year’s run, Lucian Msamati’s performance felt entirely fresh. He brought tremendous warmth and energy to the stage, effortlessly holding the audience’s attention throughout what is a one-man show. His handling of the audience participation, which forms a significant part of the experience, was particularly impressive. He engaged audience members with kindness and humour, creating moments that felt spontaneous, genuine and funny.
At its core, Soleimanpour’s play explores themes of power, obedience, complicity and freedom of expression. There is something deeply moving about hearing his words spoken aloud, knowing that they were originally written by someone who was unable to experience the wider world for himself. One especially poignant moment comes when audience members are invited to email Soleimanpour photographs taken during specific points in the performance. Through these images, he was able to experience fragments of places he could not physically visit. Given the context of his own circumstances, the play’s reflections on freedom and connection resonate even more strongly.
White Rabbit Red Rabbit is unlike any other theatrical experience I’ve encountered. The beauty of the production is that no two performances are ever the same; each actor brings something entirely new to the text. That unpredictability is precisely what makes it so special, and why it remains a show not to be missed.