Before the Millennium review – secrets and spies as Woolworths staff party like it’s 1999

By David Jays · The Guardian Culture

Old Fire Station, Oxford Things get tense when a newcomer seems to know too much in Karim Khan’s absorbing play Karim Khan’s absorbing Christmas play offers warmth, doubt, uncanny strangers and a generous handful of sweets from the Pic ’n’ Mix. It all makes for a smartly unexpected festive story. It’s 1999, ticking down to the millennium. At the Woolworths staff party in Oxford (paper hats, sensible shop-floor shoes), Zoya (Gurjot Dhaliwal) chirrups about the wonder of Woolies and her scathing colleague Iqra (Prabhleen Oberoi) scoffs that she has been radicalised. Both Pakistani-born – Iqra is a politics student, Zoya a young wife – they bop and plan their futures, until they are joined by Faiza (Hannah Khalique-Brown), a mysterious holiday temp who knows more about them than seems plausible. Iqra initially describes the newcomer as “BBCD” (“British-born confused desi”). “British Pakistanis are fascinating specimens,” she sighs. But who is Faiza? A management stooge or spy for Zoya’s in-laws? Or something far stranger? Even as the friends share secrets of the Pic ’n’ Mix, simple questions open up a chasm of anxiety – on the tight square stage, the space between the three actors is tense and watchful. Secrets and surprises start to spill like a scatter of toffees. Continue reading...