Statues (NHB Modern Plays)

'He grew up to be a man whose sighs and slumps replaced sentences. Is that gonna be me?'

Days after his father's passing, Yusuf discovers a dusty mixtape that changes everything he knew about a man who barely spoke. Turns out, his dad spent the '90s rapping about pretty girls and Kilburn life, plotting dreams of superstardom with his best friend Omar. How did this passionate wordsmith become a silent statue?

Yusuf's mourning becomes a journey into the past, soundtracked by Omar's thumping beats and his father's bars, as he begins to uncover secrets that turn his world upside-down.

Witty, honest and deeply moving, Azan Ahmed's play Statues is a lyrical love letter to the original code-switchers, exploring the impact of loss, and what you can gain from it. It premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2024, with a cast featuring the playwright himself.

'An expansive exploration of modern British Muslim identity… Ahmed is clearly a writer brimming with ideas and humour, and he has a skilful ability to bring complex feelings alive on stage' – Telegraph

'Witty and moving… Ahmed deftly weaves humour and tragedy through an entertaining and deeply touching story… There are wonderfully warm moments of comedy… Ahmed has created a world of rich and highly believable characters. We root for them all the way' – Broadway World