Rumi: The Musical ★★★★ London Coliseum | November 23 & 24, 2021


Rumi was a mystic and poet who lived in the 13th century and to this day, he is considered the national poet of Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan. His importance to these cultures cannot be overestimated and his legacy is abundant in the philosophy and art of his successors. This presentation of his life deals with his spiritual quest and his relationship with his guide the Dervish, Shams-i-Tabrizi. In some ways, we felt the production was not well-served by the subtitle "The Musical." While this genre has tackled more than just romantic love as a subject, Rumi's story struck us as being of more operatic proportions. Indeed, coming to this production unfamiliar with the great teacher's life and with expectations based on traditional musical theatre might leave one a little puzzled. That said, both the music and performances were a delight. Ramin Karimloo as Shams and Nadim Naaman as Rumi gave strong and impressive voice to the principals. Casey Al-Shaqsy was a poignant Kimya and Soophia Foroughi stood out as the dutiful wife, Kara. Ahmed Hamad was excellent as the besotted Aladdin and Yazdan Qafouri did a fine job as the dutiful son Sultan. They were blessed with having the lush and emotive music and lyrics of Dana Al Fardan and Nadim Naaman to work with. For us, one other small quibble might be the imbalance in action and development in Act I and Act II. But such nit-picking aside, this is a wonderful presentation of the poet/philosopher and of his spiritual quest. Don't hesitate to share Rumi's journey!

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Jane Hobson.

Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.

When, Where, Getting there:

Most Popular

Naked Boys Singing, The Garden Theatre at The Eagle - ★★★★ - Until October 25, 2020

St. Martin in-the-fields: Lunchtime Concerts ★★★★ FREE

Nye ★★★★★ National Theatre | Feb 24 - May 11, 2024

Standing at the Sky’s Edge ★★★★ Gillian Lynne Theatre | Feb 9 - Aug 3, 2024

Marry Me A Little ★★★★ Stage Door Theatre | Feb 28 - Apr 13, 2024

Frank’s Closet ★★★ The Union Theatre | March 6 - 30, 2024

Nachtland ★★★★★ Young Vic | Feb 20 - Apr 20, 2024

Sister Act – The Musical ★★★★ Dominion Theatre | Mar 15 - Aug 31, 2024

INK ★★★★ Sadler's Wells Theatre | Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2024

Police Cops: The Musical ★★★★★ Southwark Playhouse (Elephant) | Mar 1 - Apr 20, 2024

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings