🎭 Insane Asylum Seekers
📍Bush Theatre
🎟️ Gifted
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Bush Theatre, home to many authentic stories and emerging creatives. Part of the 2025 season is Laith Elzubaidi’s latest play, a funny and moving exploration of British-Iraqi identity, family and mental health. It’s captivating, full of wit, and an emotional watch that lingers long after the final scene…
The story
Insane Asylum Seekers is a powerful, one-person show that explores the multi-generational experiences of a British-Iraqi family. The play by Laith Elzubaidi draws upon true events in Elzubaidi’s life, including his relationships, mental health struggles, and growing up within a British-Iraqi refugee family.
We meet 27-year-old Laith (performed by Tommy Sim’aan), who takes us on a deeply personal journey through childhood memories, cultural expectations, and the lasting impact of Britain’s colonial past. As Laith recounts his experiences (both funny and traumatic), he reflects on the stigma around mental health and the weight of inherited trauma. At just 75 minutes, this comedy-drama blends sharp satire with vulnerability, offering a layered exploration of identity and the journey towards healing.
My thoughts
From the moment he stepped on stage, Sim’aan commands the room through captivating storytelling and fantastic comedic timing. He navigates the intimate studio space, oozing with charisma, as he shifts between satire and emotional moments. His energy was magnetic, and I was especially impressed with how he embodied multiple characters, with each voice and gesture feeling distinct. The writing is very expressive, painting vivid images in the audience’s mind. It feels like we are right there with Laith, reliving it all.
We are drawn into Laith’s world and the wonderfully chaotic dynamics of his family: a cousin who drives at 10 years old, a mum who throws snacks at seagulls, and a dad who insists on offering tea to paramedics mid-heart attack. It’s incredibly funny and delivered with both humour and heart! You can tell that beneath these funny moments, there is a deep love for his family. The play also uses comedy as a gateway into the deeper themes.
One powerful arc in the show is Laith’s mental health journey. He opens up about living with OCD; how it manifests, how it feels, and how it’s misunderstood. Elzubaidi explores the stigma around men’s mental health, especially within immigrant households, with nuance and care. It is refreshing to see Laith acknowledge his condition and actively seek help. When his mother learns about his diagnosis (“Are you saying I raised a crazy person?”), it cuts deep, but it is still an accurate response in communities where mental illnesses are taboo. And yet, the show never falls into resentment. It allows space for empathy and understanding, which is further exemplified during an emotional reunion in Iraq, where Laith begins to see his family through a different lens.
The storytelling was so clear and compelling from start to finish, a true testament to Emily Ling Williams’ direction. The staging and overall physicality of the performance are another highlight. The shifts in Sim’aan’s posture and expressions as we witness how Laith’s OCD infiltrates his everyday life. The staging is supported by key creative choices. Riwa Saab’s gradually intense sound design and Gillian Tan’s imposing lighting and distorted video projections. The combination works well in creating a visceral sense of anxiety and mental overload.
The script is honest, hilarious and bold! It’s particularly bold in how it confronts Britain’s role in the Iraq War, with its satirical jabs at the political hypocrisy surrounding it. Liam Bunster’s set features a stack of old school TV’s, which adds to the critique, playing montages of news footage, political and historical speeches, which all remind us of the real-world consequences behind Laith’s pain. Elzubaidi’s writing is profound and incredibly thought-provoking.
As someone from a second-generation immigrant background, I found Insane Asylum Seekers very relatable. There were the little details; parents calling us every other name but our own, arriving 10+ hours early to the airport, AND the constant reminder not to forget your passport. All were very funny in their accuracy. But how the show explored generational trauma was done in a way I have never experienced or even understood, so I thank the show for allowing me to reflect.
Balancing comedy and vulnerability to tell a story that is both personal and politically charged, Insane Asylum Seekers is brilliant theatre! Wonderfully performed, fearless, funny and honest – Laith Elzubaidi is a playwright to watch!
Insane Asylum Seekers is on at Bush Theatre until 7 June 2025.
