A giant orange balloon, plus abs of steel, plus Arinzé Kene equals the wonder that is, Misty. Directed by Bush Theatre’s Omar Elerian, Misty is a play that combines the forces of spoken word poetry, music, movement and unconventional storytelling to form a unique and superb production. Following its successful, sold-out run at Bush Theatre earlier this year, Misty has transferred over to Trafalgar Studios for more to marvel at.

I first watched Misty in April 2018 when it was at The Bush Theatre and have since taken it upon myself to become the unofficial, self-appointed promoter and noise maker for the play, advising people, virtually and IRL, to go and see it if they know what’s good for them. I went in with no expectations, simply attending because it sounded intriguing and whenever I see black people in theatre, I carry my leg to go and watch.

At face value, it is a play about a young man who gets on the night bus, has a fight with a drunken passenger and things escalate from there. Arinzé starts with a captivating monologue that places the city as a living creature, the boroughs as the organs, the motorways as the arteries, the high streets as the arterioles and the roads as the capillaries. This living creature is filled with blood cells, but there is also a virus…