A slideshow of images of Bobak Champion and his family and friends set to Persian music is playing on the screen as we enter the theatre. Right from the start, we are immersed in the Iranian culture, one that Champion is eager to share with his audience. He leads us in chants, teaches us how to pronounce his name (Bob-ak) and say Persian words. From the slideshow at the beginning to the Persian tea and traditional date biscuits shared with the audience at the end, Champion is intent on showing us the country behind the headlines.

The topics covered have never felt quite so pressing, with this performance coming only three days after Israel and the US launched attacks on Iran. Bobak told us at the end that he has been unable to keep up with the news of what is happening in his motherland lately as he has a one-month-old-baby at home. It’s hard to imagine the show being performed at a more relevant time, and Champion is ‘on a mission to make a difference’ in the representations of Islam and the Middle East in the West. This part-autobiographical story, part-cabaret has a strong mission statement, one Champion successfully conveys to his audience.

The play covers Bobak’s life growing up in Bristol, his experiences of Islamophobia and racism, visits to family in Iran, his love of breakdancing, and his experience running Tehran’s first (and last) ever marathon. It is a medley of song, dance, breakdancing, and audience interaction. Champion shifts characters often, albeit sometimes clumsily, to show us a plethora of his life experiences. He is eager to include his audience in the narrative, creating long running jokes with those sat in the front-row and at one point pulling audience members on stage to compete in a catwalk. He is joyous and light-hearted, however that is not the case for the whole play. There are moments where the humour cuts out and we are confronted with the vitriolic Islamophobia Champion has faced throughout his life. He creates chilling images through a mix of physicality and lighting design, where, for example, a cheerful hand punching the air morphs into a Nazi salute.

One of the main themes of the show, however, is Bobak’s one true love: breakdancing. He brings attention to the underrepresented dance style of breakdancing. While predominantly a one-man endeavour, Champion introduces two Devon based breakers near the end of the show – Bboy Sheku and Master Splinter – to bring to life an experience he had connecting with other breakdancers when visiting Iran as a teen. At every tour stop, Champion invites local breakdancers to be a part of the show and show off their skills to their community. It was a joyous celebration of the art form, with the whole audience cheering and whooping at the dance battle, though the person most enjoying it was Champion, clearly fulfilling a childhood dream in front of us.

Another thread woven throughout the show was the tale of the first Tehran marathon, where he and the runners around him hid a female runner from armed guards who had managed to sneak into the race after women were banned from competing, and instead offered a measly 10k ‘ladies run’ instead. It was refreshing to see a man passionately championing the issue of women’s rights, something that is clearly important to him as he leads a round of applause for his wife at the end after leading the audience in chants of "Zan, Zendegi, Azadi" (Woman, Life, Freedom).

The sheer amount of stimulus, both visually and auditorily had the potential to be overwhelming but Champion narrowly escapes this. There were moments where the dramatic intent was missing and certain aspects – like a live saxophone performance complete with live looping and sound layering – felt shoehorned into the show. I couldn’t help but feel that it was more Champion showing off his party tricks than creating a specific narrative meaning.

Ultimately, this Herculean effort of a show is refreshing and successful as a piece of theatre. The audience are engaged, amused and educated, which is exactly what Champion set out to do.

Review by Lucy Cornwell.