Soho Playhouse has brought fringe productions to New York. Among these is Ismael Loutfi’s Heavenly Baba.
Loutfi has written his story of growing up a Muslim in northern Florida. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe included it in “Best of the Fest. Now Loutfi is presenting his story in New York City. Loutfi is known for his unique style and authentic, complex storytelling that engages and unites audiences.
In Heavenly Baba, Loutfi exposes his relationship with his religious father, known as Baba. He was a man who saw the world in black and white. Baba, a surgeon, sued his hospital, claiming it forced him and others to perform unnecessary surgeries. He lost his case, his job, and his license to practice medicine. He filed the same suit in two different states with the same result. When the Islamic school that Loutfi attended made Baba’s son remove his kufi, Baba made his car into a billboard promoting Islam. Loutfi was raised amid anti-Islam sentiment, with a father attempting to convert the entire state using a car covered with slogans.
Loutfi blends humor with empathy, inviting us into his world. His engaging tale and compelling visuals effectively blend humor with humanity. He offers a perspective on a world shaped by religion and love.
Loutfi shows how theater can be a mirror and a means of transformation. He starts with a hilarious comedy and ends with a meditation on belonging and identity. Loutfi states that comedy is relatable hyperbole. Heavenly Baba certainly proves that. Both Loutfi and his father are artists whose work reflects their personal convictions.
This sixty-minute program is delivered with dynamic energy. The shifts between humor and sincerity draw the audience into Loutfi’s world. This is the kind of art that lasts long after the performance.
