Balancing the high expectations of the previous generation, the doctrines of their Muslim community, and the demands of secular Western culture, Azeem Bhatti and his wife Saima struggle to straddle the gap between their Pakistani heritage and their British upbringing. Making his professional debut, playwright Hammaad Chaudry explores what it means to be AN ORDINARY MUSLIM. Obie Award winner Jo Bonney directs.

With deep compassion, Hammaad brings to life a recognizable and unforgettable family, and with sharp intellect asks potent questions about the challenges of integration and assimilation for immigrants in today’s global world. As witnesses, we will all be forced to confront pressing questions about the nature of belonging and our own internal prejudices about that which is “other.”

Hammaad Chaudry is a 2017-18 Tow Foundation Playwright in Residence.

In An Ordinary Muslim, Hammaad Chaudry brings to life the Bhatti family, who have immigrated to England from Pakistan. Through a myriad of conflicts and conversations, Chaudry reveals to us the voice of a community not commonly seen on stage. In the process, he raises important questions about the challenges that face the world today – integration, assimilation, identity, and globalization. And at the center of the play is the idea of belonging. The play runs until March 25, and if you haven’t yet, don’t miss your chance to see it. I asked Chaudry, a 2017-18 Tow Foundation Playwright in Residence, a few questions about how the extraordinary play that is An Ordinary Muslim came to be. What was the first impulse to tell the story? Can you take me back to the origin point? Ah, it’s been so long it can be challenging to remember. Initially I was interested in exploring cycles of violence. As I began that journey, the characters decided to go on bigger journeys and new characters were born. The play now was exploring the micro and the macro, the personal and the global, and intersection between all of them. How long has the development process been? What has surprised you and challenged …Read more