NYC Play Tackles Iran Protests, Personal Chaos

Layla Khoshnoudi's "I'm Not Even Half" explores the disconnect between witnessing global events and personal experience. The play centers on S, a Brooklynite engrossed in her phone as protests unfold in Iran following Mahsa Amini's murder. An accident leaves S reeling, prompting a descent into her own addictions and shame, framed as a solo show reminiscent of "Fleabag."

The set design and lighting enhance the feeling of falling into a digital abyss, mirroring S's internal state. Environments blur, creating an eerie, ephemeral space that feels like the inside of a phone. Despite the somber themes, the play elicits laughter through its sharp, witty observations on avoiding difficult truths.

"I'm Not Even Half" is staged at the Bushwick Starr through October 31. Concurrently, "Delirium," adapted from Ionesco, is at the Space at Irondale until November 7. This play presents a dark absurdist world where two lovers navigate an eternal war, their lives reduced to bickering and slapstick amidst destruction.

"Delirium" features Andrey Burkovskiy and Chulpan Khamatova as a couple trapped in a destroyed room, their existence a cycle of arguments and frozen reactions to external alarms. Their care for each other and a pet goldfish offers a glimmer of humanity against the backdrop of constant conflict. The play's chilling portrayal of survival highlights the struggle to maintain sanity and connection in a collapsing world.