Anna Burnside reviews an autobiographical look at the Arab Spring.
Aid worker Samira arrives at her first posting as a UN observer just in time for the Arab Spring to burst into flames. It’s a double hit of optimism: the energy and good intentions of the young Arabic-speaking Glaswegian and the waves of protest in Tunisia, then Libya, then Egypt, when it felt like positive change might be possible.
Of course it’s not as simple as that, and Mariem Omari’s autobiographical play looks at the effects of cataloguing the horrors of war and unrest have on a young woman. We see her crumple before our eyes, unable to do more than take photographs and record people’s pain for a report few will ever read.
Olivia Hemmati is a sparky Samira, committed, driven and also only human. Her co-star is Lewis den Hertog’s videos, playing on a shonky screen beside her, helping us out with maps and footage to anchor the narrative in the actual events. Director Shilpa T-Hyland manages the transition from naivety to burn-out with a light hand.
Wars in Ukraine, Gaza and now Iran have replaced the Arab Spring in the well-meaning westerner’s list of worries. Revolution Days is a reminder that the maps change but the people affected remain the same.
Revolution Days continues to tour Scotland with performances at The Byre Theatre in St Andrews (3 June 2026) and the Studio Theatre in Edinburgh (19-20 June 2026).
Photo by Sally Jubb.
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