Blue Mist
17 – 20 Jun 2026
Chunkyz Shisha Lounge is home away from home. But now its future is under threat, having become a target for local politicians.
19 May 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ “The comedy zings and complex ideas are presented with verve” THE GUARDIAN
Leeds audiences are invited to join Jihad, Rashid and Asif at Chunkyz Shisha Lounge – a space where community whispers are heard, jokes are shared, and new hustles are born. The laid-back lounge is the setting for Blue Mist, an award-winning, darkly comic production about truth, trust and ambition, coming to our Courtyard Theatre from 17-20 June.
Presented by Boundless Theatre in association with Tamasha, the Oliver Award-nominated and Asian Media Award-winning play explores the media agenda around young Muslim men as they navigate a system that isn’t built for them. Written by Mohamed-Zain Dada and directed by Milli Bhatia, the story follows Jihad, an aspiring journalist struggling to balance his ambition with his values, as he gets the opportunity to make a documentary that gives voice to his community and challenges the stereotypes that usually populate the airwaves.
Blue Mist previously played at Royal Court Upstairs, where it was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre Award at the 2024 Olivier Awards and won the Asian Media Award for Best Stage Production. It was a second Olivier Award nomination for director Milli Bhatia following seven methods of killing kylie jenner.
Playwright Mohamed-Zain Dada said: “Blue Mist is a story about young Muslim men carving out joy and identity. It’s about the spaces that hold us together and the laughter that comes from everyday moments in our communities. From the dramas at Jummah, to fillet-o-fish, to the absurdities of gym culture. But it’s also about how the media willfully misrepresents us, distorts our humanity and makes us out to be monsters. Blue Mist questions how we might confront these narratives and the people in power who perpetuate them.”
MAJOR FUNDERS
Principal Partner
Principal Access Partner