Noor – Southwark Playhouse

A British spy of Indian Muslim heritage, Noor was an inspirational woman during World War II. Her story, with its political and moral complexities has been craftily worded by Azma Dar in this production. Dar undertook extensive research into the life of Noor over a decade ago and in 2018, Kali Theatre presented a reading of an earlier version of the play as part of its War Plays season. Now fully realised by a fabulous creative team, Noor is presented as a 105-minute play at Southwark Playhouse, outlining the values and mission of this daring woman.

The play takes the audience on a journey from Noor’s aspirations as a writer to her training to become the first British woman to be a wireless operator on an international mission to her encounters in Paris, fighting for her country and for the ethics she holds close. Annice Boparai gracefully captures the somewhat naive but brave enthusiasm, grit, conflict and resilience of Noor, sustaining the energy and passion as she moves through time, locations and neatly designed production cues. Poonam Brah’s direction cleverly uses the narrow, traverse set (Helen Coyston) – and although the script blatantly bends the classical unity of time-place-action – the action feels contained and clearly explained. A little too clearly, perhaps, for the liking of some, but I’d rather have a story spelled out and told in a gripping manner than have open ends for interpretation that lead to nowhere in particular. The movement direction feels a bit awry at a few points, with the actors seeming like they’re following directions rather than the movement coming from the character’s impulses and this breaks the theatrical illusion sometimes.

The cast, overall, carries their characters with panache and strength. Caroline Faber as the British officer Vera Atkins brings polish to her part as Noor’s mentor (of sorts), living a deeply conflicted life herself. Chris Porter (Kieffer), Laurence Saunders in his sharp double roles as Buckmaster and French Professor and Ellie Turner (Renee) add to the vigour and vivacity of the show. As lovely as they are to watch, though, the audience is left wanting more of their characters. Each of them has a story of their own which is left unexplored – unfolding the nuances of their inner lives more would bring even more depth and context to Noor’s story.

The light design by Neill Brinkworth deserves special mention. Using different combinations of simple cold and warm lights, he jolts the audience between Britain and France, and various locations within those countries. Playing within a simple-looking strip of wooden stage, with well-designed hidden storage compartments, the lights help keep the pace of the piece up without necessitating big set changes. This supports the simplicity of the overall production design, keeping the focus on the actors and the story.

All in all, Noor makes for a thrilling production with good acting and straightforward storytelling. Some parts of Noor’s life like her spiritual connection with Sufism – an important aspect that shaped her into the woman she was, remain largely untouched and would have added a beautiful layer of nuance. But within the length that the play is, it does a good job of sustaining the audience’s interest and engagement, on top of providing a lesson in history. If you are intrigued by spy stories, please go watch the show. Even if you are not, it makes for an enlivened evening out, watching good theatre.

Kali Theatre champions stories by women and non-binary writers of South Asian descent. Noor 26th November 2022 and tickets can be found at https://www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/the-little/noor/

Reviewer: Aditi Dalal

Reviewed: 10th November 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★