Writer: Mohamed-Zain Dada
Director: Milli Bhatia
An oppressive basement room in a Birmingham hotel is the setting for Speed, the biting comedy satire by Mohamed-Zain Dada. The set has all the drab visual motifs of corporate presentation days: plastic chairs, a flip chart, coffee, and a vending machine. There’s also a fish tank with real fish, captured, moving in circles; they too have no way out. The three characters: a nurse, a delivery driver and an entrepreneur are here to attend a new type of speed awareness course because of their dangerous driving. All intend to hold on to their licences.
The facilitator, Abz performed by Nikesh Patel is instantly unlikeable as he insists: “Driving is not a human right, it’s a privilege.” A terse, pent-up, jobsworth with “a lot of energy and a lot of mottos” he’s a man with a mission and displays some erratic behaviour. With a combination of brutal facts, cod psychology and a battery of interactive exercises, he intends to change his charges, to educate, elucidate and enlighten, to transform these road liabilities into responsible drivers. Is this possible? The cast are all South Asian, which is thematically key.
Performed by a talented ensemble, SPEED is both a critique of Britishness and a subversive twist on Asian stereotypes. Never have cucumber sandwiches been more loaded or offensive. Directed by Milli Bhatia who builds on Dada’s clever, witty script, the performances shine. Faiza, played by Shazia Nicholls is comedy gold as the CEO who once appeared on Dragon’s Den and drives a BMW. Arian Nik sizzles as Samir, a posturing boy racer from Leeds who zips around in his Golf while hardworking, no-nonsense nurse, Harleen, owner of a Vauxhall Corsa is played by Sabrina Sandu. Recalling Abigail’s Party which starts as one thing and descends into something much darker, SPEED pushes characters to their limits, out of their comfort zones and delivers some bizarre and absurd thrills en route.
The question of rage, specifically road rage, but anger in general is central to the piece. Who has the right to be angry and is unchecked fury ever justified? The official objective is to reveal what makes the characters angry on the roads but what the audience wants to know is why Abz, the zealous facilitator is so angry. Despite his ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ mug, he’s like “Bin Laden running anti-terror training” observes Samir. Pace-wise, the dialogue crackles but plot-wise, it’s a bit of a slow burner. However, when the surprises do veer out of nowhere in a psychological, emotional and cultural collision, no one leaves unscathed in this sharp and contemporary comedy of manners.
Runs until 17 May 2025
The Reviews Hub Score
Dark, funny and full of righteous rage.
