Good Muslim Boy

Osamah Sami is racing against the clock and fighting bureaucratic red tape. His father unexpectedly dies on a father–son trip in Tehran, and he is tasked with the morbid duty of transporting the body back to Melbourne for a proper burial. The problem? His visa is set to expire in a matter of hours and a stint in an Iranian prison looms. Osamah needs to “bring the mountain to Muhammad” to honour his father.

Playing at Malthouse Theatre till Sunday, 11 March, award-winning writer, actor and comedian Osamah Sami brings his memoir, Good Muslim Boy, to the small stage. Good Muslim Boy is 85 minutes of touching, heartfelt and incredibly amusing theatre – a story that examines what it means to be a ‘good Muslim’, and by extension, true to yourself and your heritage.

 Iranian by birth, Osamah spent the first 13 years of his life enduring the political upheaval that was the Iranian–Iraqi war before his parents decided to migrate to Australia. Settling as a refugee in Coburg, he traded black market antics to faking acceptance into a medical degree at the University of Melbourne for an entire year. Throughout the turmoil, his love for his parents never waned. This translates onto the stage and is what makes Good Muslim Boy both unique and resonant.

Osamah’s mother’s comical love of AFL is evident through her fanatical yelling at the TV and hearty cheering when Matthew Lloyd kicks a goal for the Dons. We witness Osamah’s father’s wisdom as he helps a man in need by nonchalantly dropping money on the ground, allowing the man to pretend the money is his and preserve his dignity in front of his daughter.

Good Muslim Boy stars three actors: Osamah Sami playing himself, Rodney Afif playing his father and a series of goofy characters, and Nicole Nabout playing his mother and a series of rigid, no-nonsense government workers and officers. Some highlights include Osamah’s breakdown on the bus, Afif’s portrayal of an airport worker and Nabout’s above mentioned footy scene.

If you are a fan of smash-hit Ali’s Wedding, Australia’s first Muslim rom-com, then Good Muslim Boy will appeal to you. At times, it may feel like you’re watching a very, very loose sequel – given the characters are the same – but in all honesty, it’s simply another tender coming-of-age story crafted by Osamah Sami. One that honestly depicts what happens when our heroes die and we are left to fend for ourselves.

Good Muslim Boy 
Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank
Till Sunday, 11 March 2018
malthousetheatre.com.au