The Wrong Bashir
A Crow's Theatre Production
Written by Zahida Rahemtulla
Directed by Paolo Santalucia
Tickets start at $50
2 hours 15 minutes including intermission
Toronto Premiere
May 21, 2024 - Jul 16, 2024
Guloien Theatre
Bashir Ladha, a bohemian philosophy podcaster, finds himself unwittingly thrust into the spotlight when he is chosen to assume a distinguished religious position that his parents have eagerly accepted on his behalf. Before Bashir can object, two committee representatives are at his door to congratulate him. As the representatives start to suspect a mistake has been made, Bashir’s jubilant grandparents and relatives arrive to commemorate the honour. A charming farce ensues, prompting questions around whether the seemingly wrong Bashir may, in fact, be the right one.
Fast-paced, original, and laugh-out-loud funny, this delightful debut by Zahida Rahemtulla invites us to look at values passed down through generations, the ties of community, and how we are shaped by those who love us most— even when we try to run away from them.
Zahida Rahemtulla is a playwright and short story writer. Her first play, The Wrong Bashir, a farce about the Ismaili community, premiered in Vancouver to a sold-out run and critical acclaim in spring 2023 with Touchstone Theatre.
Zahida’s second play, The Frontliners, a comedic drama about refugee settlement, won the Playwrights Guild of Canada RBC Emerging Playwright Award, Theatre BC's Play of Special Merit Award, and was runner-up for the national Voaden Prize in Playwriting. Her stories have been shortlisted for the Alice Munro story award and longlisted for the CBC short story prize. For several years, Zahida worked in British Columbia's immigrant and refugee non-profit sector in the areas of housing, employment, and literacy.
Director Paolo Santalucia is an award-winning actor, writer and director; a founding member of The Howland Company; a John Hirsch Award for Directing Finalist; and Associate Artistic Director of Crow’s Theatre. At Crow’s, Paolo appeared in Orphans for the Czar, made his playwrighting debut with Prodigal (in association with The Howland Company), and served as assistant director for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and Dana H.