Sanaz Toossi knows blood can be a pain, whether or not you expect it. In Wish You Were Here, Toossi’s second play at Studio Theatre following 2023’s English, the friendship between five Iranian women unfolds over decades as period blood stains the couch and the Iranian revolution spills blood on the ground. Toossi’s tendency toward hyper-realistic, reflective storytelling captures literal blood and makes it a metaphor for chosen family.
Studio’s production, directed by Sivan Battat, crafts a refreshing, slice-of-life story of friendship where the women at the show’s center crack frequent jokes about periods, pregnancy, and their own bodies. But Wish You Were Here shines most in its moments of quietude.
Battat has developed beautiful closeness in this ensemble, but closeness doesn’t last forever and war changes everything. The Jewish Rana (a vibrant Ari Derambakhsh) is the first to leave, which she does without telling her friends. Rana’s disappearance sends Salme (a cool, poised Layan Elwazani) on a desperate search to find her. Shideh (a practical Shadee Vossoughi) is the next to leave—moving to the U.S. with her husband. Eventually Salme, Zadi (a quirky, sweet Ellena Eshraghi), and Nazanin (a tough, sarcastic Ellen Nikbakht), are the only ones who remain in Iran.
In one striking scene, when the trio is hiding from potential missile strikes, Salme—on bended knee—trusts in whispered prayer that lingers in the otherwise stark silence. It’s an unapologetic, beautiful moment as the audience watches Salme take care of herself.
As the story unravels, feelings of betrayal, loss, and grief make their way to the forefront, as one by one the women leave Iran until only Nazanin, stubborn and stuck in her ways, refuses to leave her “beautiful country.” As questions arise—how do you make a person feel appreciated? Who do you love most? How do we remember our loved ones? Nikbakht’s nuanced portrayal of Nazanin’s journey makes this critic think: The future may be bright outside, but inside it’s dark. Courage, it turns out, is hard to hold on to.
Studio’s production design aligns with these ideas of coming and going. Omid Akbari’s set utilizes wall units that slide on and offstage to alternate between smaller and wider rooms. Persian rugs are the obvious choice, with a dark red pattern that recalls the blood motif. Kenny Neal’s sound design with traditional-sounding Iranian music and ’70s rock adds to the feeling of hominess. Shahrzad Mazaheri’s costumes feel personal—the wedding dresses stand out, each matching the three characters who marry over the course of the play.
Throughout its 100 minutes, Wish You Were Here plays like an homage to the strong, loud, resilient Iranian women that made Toossi who she is while also reminding us of the importance and uniqueness of women’s friendship. It’s a reminder to stay in touch and to not take our friends for granted. Still, for all this play tries to say, it’s limited to a tight 10 scenes, but maybe that is the point: Such women in history too often are forgotten. What you see makes you want to live in their world much longer.
Wish You Were Here, written by Sanaz Toossi and directed by Sivan Battat, runs through Nov. 1 at Studio Theatre. studiotheatre.org. $55–$117.
