Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize, this quietly powerful and timely play explores identity, language, and belonging
"What do we lose, and what do we become, when we try to speak in a language that is not our own?" – Amir N. Hosseini, Director
A deeply human play that resonates across cultures, English follows four Iranian adults in a storefront classroom in Karaj, near Tehran, as they prepare for an English proficiency exam.
As grammar drills and pronunciation exercises unfold, something deeper emerges – questions of identity, belonging, and what is gained or lost when learning a new language. Standing at the intersection of their past and future, four students consider new opportunities, reinvention, and distance from home.
With warmth, humour, and piercing insight, English explores cultural displacement, migration, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of a different future.
English, produced by Blackout Art Society, is performed in English and is developed with the help of a diverse group of all-immigrant cast and crew.
CAST
Mahbubeh Mojtahed
Navid Charkhi
Ava Nasiri
Nikta Ghazi
Baran Mehrdadian
CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright – Sanaz Toossi
Director – Amir N. Hosseini
Stage Manager and Lighting Designer – Shila Amin
Assistant Director – Sarvin Seif
Set Designer – Luis Bellassai
Sound Designer – Hamed Mafakheri
Costume Designer – Neda Hosseini
Set Decorator – Hassan Mirbod
Marketing Manager – Shideh Taleban
Hair Stylist – Monda Sadrnia
Content Creator – Farhad Adib
Photographer – Sayna Ghaderi
Event venue
Kay Meek Arts Centre, 1700 Mathers Ave, West Vancouver, BC V7V 2G7, Canada
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