Dizzy at Sheffield’s Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse – review

Mohamed-Zain Dada’s latest play Dizzy revolves around 15-year-old Qamar, who has recently lost her older brother, Yaseen. Needing to make sense of her loss, and desperate for answers, Qamar goes on a dangerous journey to uncover the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.

She encounters Stax, a prolific graffiti artist and Yaseen’s former mentor. Persuading him to show her the underground world of street art, she discovers unknown dimensions of Yaseen and unlocks a dream-like space known as the ‘Axis’. Here she finds she can replay memories from their past, confront her grief and sound out her feelings towards her brother, whilst finding out more about the real him. 

The production attempts to utilise an impressive range of technological tools to tell a poignant and relevant story in an innovative fashion, but there are areas where this piece feels unfinished. Qamar is a formidable protagonist, embracing her culture and diversity with verve. Fiercely proud of all she is, she fires verbal shots without fear of repercussion, squaring up to the rough and, at times, fearsome Stax. However, I couldn’t quite get a sense of Qamar. Her story is shaped through that of her brother’s, her family’s and Stax and she seems somewhat lost among the mix. I’m left pondering her motivations and drives away from the tragedy, so whilst I value the representation, she doesn’t quite feel fully formed. Sera Mustafa plays her beautifully, rotating through various emotions and you can feel the connection she has with Qamar.

Brendan Barclay portrays Stax with a respect and honour that is truly touching, allowing us to see beyond the base tag of criminal and thug, instead letting us acknowledge the artist within, who is so passionate about his calling that he once almost died in the process of its creation. Like Qamar, however, the character feels unfinished. Nevertheless, it’s the unseen Yaseen, voiced by Reda Elazouar, who truly steals the show. His haunting interjections add emotional depth to the piece, elevating it to a different level. There are magical moments of playful teasing and tender times of sibling synergy, letting Qamar know that everything will be alright.

This has all the makings of a magnificent piece of theatre, however, where this play misses the mark is in the execution of its staging. Large canvases dominate the stage space, leaving little room for the actors to move. At 50 minutes, the piece is word-heavy and mainly static. Although the dialogue is lyrical with some real stand-out sentences, the pace runs at such a speed and intensity that the gems are lost, the jokes struggle to land, and emotional moments are missed in the momentum. It would benefit from light and dark; some periods of silence to counterbalance and amplify the spectacular soundscape and perhaps more movement with music. More time taken to show rather than tell would add to the effectiveness and impact of the story and its message. I have no doubt Dizzy has the potential to be something incredible once all the elements align.

The show is a co-production by Theatre Centre and Sheffield Theatres and will be touring schools and other theatres throughout the country. The production is based on hundreds of conversations with young people across the UK. The themes are potent and the significance is vital. Art has many forms, including graffiti and the youth have a powerful political voice and opinions which deserve to be heard. Culture and creativity are a part of our heritage and our identity.