Meet Fatima and Salima: the coolest hijabi step-sisters in Bradford and the undisputed favourites to win the Tiny is Mighty skateboarding competition. But while they’re chasing gold, a family crisis at home threatens to pull them apart.
 |
| Photo by Tasha Best |
We sat down with acclaimed Bradford playwright Asif Khan to discuss his brand-new play. Inspired by real-life skateboarding sisters Layna, Maysa, and Amaya—and their hero, Olympic medalist Sky Brown—this story is a high-energy tribute to northern grit and the power of a "super plan."
You’ve moved from the classical world of the RSC to the asphalt of a skatepark. What was it about the story of the 'Hijabi Sisters' from Hull that made you say, 'This must be a play’?
As a British Muslim, I’m always looking for stories that can break the many negative stereotypes about Muslims… and immediately I realised this was one. It’s about sisters around the age of 10, who wear the hijab and have a passion for skateboarding… that on its own immediately breaks so many stereotypes… not just about Muslims… but also about girls. I think also, visually, it was very attractive having these characters be the leads of a play and all the possibilities you could have with skateboarding, the graffiti, the clothes, the attitude, the skateboard slang… it all made for a very action packed, fun play… and we just don’t see Muslims in these type of roles. I thought it would be very inspirational for girls and boys from a Muslim background to come see this… but also for girls and boys from every background and faith.
As a British Muslim, I’m always looking for stories that can break the many negative stereotypes about Muslims… and immediately I realised this was one. It’s about sisters around the age of 10, who wear the hijab and have a passion for skateboarding… that on its own immediately breaks so many stereotypes… not just about Muslims… but also about girls. I think also, visually, it was very attractive having these characters be the leads of a play and all the possibilities you could have with skateboarding, the graffiti, the clothes, the attitude, the skateboard slang… it all made for a very action packed, fun play… and we just don’t see Muslims in these type of roles. I thought it would be very inspirational for girls and boys from a Muslim background to come see this… but also for girls and boys from every background and faith.
Skateboarding is often seen as a solitary or 'rebellious' subculture. How does that spirit of rebellion intersect with the sisters’ identity as hijab-wearing Muslim girls in the North of England?
Yes, the great thing about skateboarding is that it is something that you can do by yourself. I’ve watched skateboarders in skate parks practising tricks and routines on their own… but also… it’s a social atmosphere and skaters can mix among others who share the same hobby. I imagine when you’re in the skate park, you can be free of any worries about life and dream a little… let go. But as in any community, there are a variety of different personalities and characters… some may be extroverts, who like the social aspect… some may be introverts, who enjoy skateboarding, but then prefer to be at home, cuddled up on the sofa, reading a book.
Yes, the great thing about skateboarding is that it is something that you can do by yourself. I’ve watched skateboarders in skate parks practising tricks and routines on their own… but also… it’s a social atmosphere and skaters can mix among others who share the same hobby. I imagine when you’re in the skate park, you can be free of any worries about life and dream a little… let go. But as in any community, there are a variety of different personalities and characters… some may be extroverts, who like the social aspect… some may be introverts, who enjoy skateboarding, but then prefer to be at home, cuddled up on the sofa, reading a book.
You worked closely with Layna, Maysa, and Amaya. How did their real-life experiences shape the specific 'skate-slang' or the sibling dynamics we see between Fatima and Salima?
I had an interview with one of the sisters and their mum and watched a lots of their videos that they’d posted on social media… and the various interviews they’d done. I also have children of my own and I regularly hear the way they talk to each other and that’s where I had to put myself in the mind of a child… and the dreams you have as a child… and the excitement… and how do these children see the world? What matters to these children? What are their ambitions? I realised when researching about skateboarding that there is so much cool language involved… there are names for each trick for example. There’s a lot of social media involved and many skateboarders have their own channels and film their own tricks. So it was a mixture of hearing the real girls speak… hearing how children of that age speak… understanding what matters to them… and then combining it with a bit of drama, theatre, excitement and imagination.
I had an interview with one of the sisters and their mum and watched a lots of their videos that they’d posted on social media… and the various interviews they’d done. I also have children of my own and I regularly hear the way they talk to each other and that’s where I had to put myself in the mind of a child… and the dreams you have as a child… and the excitement… and how do these children see the world? What matters to these children? What are their ambitions? I realised when researching about skateboarding that there is so much cool language involved… there are names for each trick for example. There’s a lot of social media involved and many skateboarders have their own channels and film their own tricks. So it was a mixture of hearing the real girls speak… hearing how children of that age speak… understanding what matters to them… and then combining it with a bit of drama, theatre, excitement and imagination.
You mentioned keeping your own children in mind while writing. How did that personal connection change your approach to dialogue compared to your previous work for adults?
Yes, I think about my own children and what they might like to watch… what they like watching already… which TV programmes do they enjoy watching… what makes them laugh? What games do they enjoy playing? Which books do they like to read? How do they talk to their friends? This all helped when writing this play…and any play for children. I approach the writing in the same way I do when writing adult plays… it’s just that the characters are children. I have to truthfully get into their minds and see the world as they see it. But also, there’s the joy of writing and creating. Your imagination plays a big part when writing children’s plays… you can go into the weird and wonderful… let your mind be free… if you think back to your own childhood… what did you dream about? What were the things that you thought about it? When I’m writing characters, I want to create good role models… but also allow them to be a little bit cheeky, naughty and mischievous… and make it fun for kids watching.
Yes, I think about my own children and what they might like to watch… what they like watching already… which TV programmes do they enjoy watching… what makes them laugh? What games do they enjoy playing? Which books do they like to read? How do they talk to their friends? This all helped when writing this play…and any play for children. I approach the writing in the same way I do when writing adult plays… it’s just that the characters are children. I have to truthfully get into their minds and see the world as they see it. But also, there’s the joy of writing and creating. Your imagination plays a big part when writing children’s plays… you can go into the weird and wonderful… let your mind be free… if you think back to your own childhood… what did you dream about? What were the things that you thought about it? When I’m writing characters, I want to create good role models… but also allow them to be a little bit cheeky, naughty and mischievous… and make it fun for kids watching.
In the play, the parents' separation threatens to pull the sisters apart. How does the physical act of skateboarding—falling and getting back up—serve as a metaphor for their family life?
When I was researching, I watched a lot of Sky Brown, who is an Olympic medallist… a 13-year-old skateboarder. One video in particular showed her trying to do a trick on a half pipe, failing, falling, getting up, casually walking back, trying the trick again, falling, getting up, walking back, trying the trick again… there was no frustration in her… she was falling and failing numerous times… it was just part of the process of being a skateboarder… you fail and fail and fail… but you persist and persist and finally you get the results… and that’s a really good metaphor for life. I’ve always had that in my head as a person. I loved playing basketball as a child, and my hero at the time was Michael Jordan… he was someone who captured the meaning of hard work. He was not only talented at what he did, but he also worked harder than everyone else. He had that ‘I’m never going to give up’ mentality. I always tell my children, that I don’t care what the result is, as long as you do your best. I think that’s a good thing for children to learn, because life is full of obstacles and you experience failure and disappointment many times. But it’s about what you do after you’ve experienced failure… what did you learn from that? How do you take those lessons into the future? I think the sisters in this play have that mentality, of never giving up, being determined… and even with the challenges that they face in life with their parents… they are always striving to have their way… they’re so determined to be together and skateboard together.
When I was researching, I watched a lot of Sky Brown, who is an Olympic medallist… a 13-year-old skateboarder. One video in particular showed her trying to do a trick on a half pipe, failing, falling, getting up, casually walking back, trying the trick again, falling, getting up, walking back, trying the trick again… there was no frustration in her… she was falling and failing numerous times… it was just part of the process of being a skateboarder… you fail and fail and fail… but you persist and persist and finally you get the results… and that’s a really good metaphor for life. I’ve always had that in my head as a person. I loved playing basketball as a child, and my hero at the time was Michael Jordan… he was someone who captured the meaning of hard work. He was not only talented at what he did, but he also worked harder than everyone else. He had that ‘I’m never going to give up’ mentality. I always tell my children, that I don’t care what the result is, as long as you do your best. I think that’s a good thing for children to learn, because life is full of obstacles and you experience failure and disappointment many times. But it’s about what you do after you’ve experienced failure… what did you learn from that? How do you take those lessons into the future? I think the sisters in this play have that mentality, of never giving up, being determined… and even with the challenges that they face in life with their parents… they are always striving to have their way… they’re so determined to be together and skateboard together.
Muslim narratives in media often lean toward trauma or 'struggle.' Why was it important for you to make this a 'funny, high-energy' story where the girls are 'fiercely ambitious heroes' first?
It’s important as a playwright to create… first and foremost… a play which is enjoyable and entertaining. Everything else follows, but the play has to be engaging, exciting, it has to connect with the audience, it has to make the audience feel something… laugh and cry…it has to connect with everyone… not just Muslims. Fundamentally, this is just a play about two 10-year-old girls, who are stepsisters, who want to skateboard, or even more simply two 10-year-olds, who have a dream, and that is what any child can relate to. The Muslim aspect will naturally be embedded in the play because the characters happen to be Muslim, but they could easily be not Muslim. I think that on its own, that it’s a story about two girls who just want to skateboard, who just happened to be Muslim, goes a long way and breaks stereotypes… and allows young Muslim children in the UK to feel represented.
It’s important as a playwright to create… first and foremost… a play which is enjoyable and entertaining. Everything else follows, but the play has to be engaging, exciting, it has to connect with the audience, it has to make the audience feel something… laugh and cry…it has to connect with everyone… not just Muslims. Fundamentally, this is just a play about two 10-year-old girls, who are stepsisters, who want to skateboard, or even more simply two 10-year-olds, who have a dream, and that is what any child can relate to. The Muslim aspect will naturally be embedded in the play because the characters happen to be Muslim, but they could easily be not Muslim. I think that on its own, that it’s a story about two girls who just want to skateboard, who just happened to be Muslim, goes a long way and breaks stereotypes… and allows young Muslim children in the UK to feel represented.
Children's theatre has historically lacked diverse protagonists. What do you hope a young girl wearing a hijab feels when she sees Fatima and Salima chasing an Olympic dream on stage?
If you hear the real sisters… Layna, Maysa and Amaya… talking in interviews… they talk about how they felt when they first watched Sky Brown at the Olympics… and how she made them feel. They mention that she made them feel like they could do anything… and could achieve anything. They mention when they started skateboarding and gathering a bit of attention that they received support from the Muslim Community. So I hope that if there are girls in the audience… Muslim girls… particularly girls who wear the hijab… that they look at Fatima and Salima and walk away feeling like they can achieve anything. That they can achieve want ever they want in their life, that there are no restrictions about what you can do… just because you happen to be a Muslim or a girl. I want them to be able to look at someone who is brown or black and Muslim, who wears the hijab, and see them as their hero. Why can’t we have heroes who are muslim?
If you hear the real sisters… Layna, Maysa and Amaya… talking in interviews… they talk about how they felt when they first watched Sky Brown at the Olympics… and how she made them feel. They mention that she made them feel like they could do anything… and could achieve anything. They mention when they started skateboarding and gathering a bit of attention that they received support from the Muslim Community. So I hope that if there are girls in the audience… Muslim girls… particularly girls who wear the hijab… that they look at Fatima and Salima and walk away feeling like they can achieve anything. That they can achieve want ever they want in their life, that there are no restrictions about what you can do… just because you happen to be a Muslim or a girl. I want them to be able to look at someone who is brown or black and Muslim, who wears the hijab, and see them as their hero. Why can’t we have heroes who are muslim?
The sisters idolise Sky Brown. How does the rise of real-world diverse sporting icons change the way you write aspirational characters for the stage?
I think we’re always drawn towards what we haven’t seen before… and when we saw 13-year-old Skye Brown at the Olympics doing what she did, with so much confidence at such a young age… how much talent and skills she possessed… you can’t help but feel inspired. And the maturity… how she handled all the pressure of being in the Olympics… in that huge competition… and also of course the fact that she won a medal. It all draws you to her. And children seeing another young person do something so amazing, on such a big stage will of course want to be like her… watch her… and support her. So if I can bring some of that magic into a theatre piece, then hopefully, children coming to watch will engage fully with the play.
I think we’re always drawn towards what we haven’t seen before… and when we saw 13-year-old Skye Brown at the Olympics doing what she did, with so much confidence at such a young age… how much talent and skills she possessed… you can’t help but feel inspired. And the maturity… how she handled all the pressure of being in the Olympics… in that huge competition… and also of course the fact that she won a medal. It all draws you to her. And children seeing another young person do something so amazing, on such a big stage will of course want to be like her… watch her… and support her. So if I can bring some of that magic into a theatre piece, then hopefully, children coming to watch will engage fully with the play.
The play is set in Bradford but inspired by sisters from Hull. How important was it for you to capture the specific energy, wit, and 'grit' of Northern England in this story?
Most of my plays are set in Bradford, because that is where I was born and went to school etc. I went to the university there also, before I moved to London to go to train at RADA. So it’s the landscape I know best… and I feel proud of Bradford. I feel proud of the diversity in Bradford. There are a lot of misconceptions about Bradford. It's an exciting city. There’s so much going on there… so many stories. The city has lots character… particular Bradford phrases… the humour. Because that is my background and that is where I’m from… a working class, Muslim, Pakistani lad from Bradford… that I want to write about and represent.
Most of my plays are set in Bradford, because that is where I was born and went to school etc. I went to the university there also, before I moved to London to go to train at RADA. So it’s the landscape I know best… and I feel proud of Bradford. I feel proud of the diversity in Bradford. There are a lot of misconceptions about Bradford. It's an exciting city. There’s so much going on there… so many stories. The city has lots character… particular Bradford phrases… the humour. Because that is my background and that is where I’m from… a working class, Muslim, Pakistani lad from Bradford… that I want to write about and represent.
In many ways, the city itself is a character in a skating story. How did you write the urban landscape of Bradford to feel like a playground rather than just a backdrop?
When I write, I visualise a lot. With the characters I visualise where they are… the different colours I see… the areas of Bradford I know… so all this naturally seeps in. The accent and vocabulary of Bradford really tells you specifically where you are and plays a big part.
When I write, I visualise a lot. With the characters I visualise where they are… the different colours I see… the areas of Bradford I know… so all this naturally seeps in. The accent and vocabulary of Bradford really tells you specifically where you are and plays a big part.
Skateboarding is inherently cinematic and fast-paced. As a playwright, how do you write 'action' on the page to ensure the high-energy 'rolling' of the title translates to a theatrical stage?
When I was about to start writing the play I did think whether we could find two actors who fit the roles and are also excellent skateboarders? So I decided to make all the skateboarding choreographed dance/movement. That is something that actors can do. We had a great choreographer in the rehearsal room and Ameera Conrad, the Director, worked with them also, to help choreograph the skateboarding sequences. That’s the beautiful thing about theatre… that things don’t have to necessarily be literal and realistic. In addition, the energy that the actors bring… together with the lights and music all helps.
When I was about to start writing the play I did think whether we could find two actors who fit the roles and are also excellent skateboarders? So I decided to make all the skateboarding choreographed dance/movement. That is something that actors can do. We had a great choreographer in the rehearsal room and Ameera Conrad, the Director, worked with them also, to help choreograph the skateboarding sequences. That’s the beautiful thing about theatre… that things don’t have to necessarily be literal and realistic. In addition, the energy that the actors bring… together with the lights and music all helps.
 |
| Photo by Tasha Best |
The competition in the play is called 'Tiny is Mighty.' In your own career as a writer, what was the 'tiny' moment or story that ended up having the 'mightiest' impact on you?
As a writer, a new idea starts off as something ‘tiny’… a little seed in your head… and you wonder how will I make this into a story and a play? Will I be able to write it? Will people enjoy it? Will people think it’s rubbish? And then the seed starts growing… the ideas starts growing in your head. You start to see the characters in the world… the way the characters speak… and you start writing things down… it’s just you and a laptop at home… it can be quite a lonely process. You spend a lot of time typing and retyping and thinking about the play and characters. You doubt yourself a lot. But eventually you’ve got this draft… the first draft… which you continue to work on… and then finally it gets into a rehearsal room and a director gets brought on board… and actors… and a designer, a sound designer, lighting designer, the whole team at a theatre… and suddenly what started as a little idea in your mind, is so much bigger. So many more people are involved… and then when the play goes on and the audience come to watch the play night after night… its connecting with even more people. And then, hopefully, they talk and tell their friends to come and watch the play… and over the course of the run, so many people experience the play… this play which started off as a little seed inside your head. So I think that process really describes ‘tiny as mighty’. When I first started writing my debut play ‘Combustion’, it was just a seed in my head, which led to a successful run… and all the writing I’ve done since has been because of that first play… because of that first idea… because of a tiny seed in my head.
As a writer, a new idea starts off as something ‘tiny’… a little seed in your head… and you wonder how will I make this into a story and a play? Will I be able to write it? Will people enjoy it? Will people think it’s rubbish? And then the seed starts growing… the ideas starts growing in your head. You start to see the characters in the world… the way the characters speak… and you start writing things down… it’s just you and a laptop at home… it can be quite a lonely process. You spend a lot of time typing and retyping and thinking about the play and characters. You doubt yourself a lot. But eventually you’ve got this draft… the first draft… which you continue to work on… and then finally it gets into a rehearsal room and a director gets brought on board… and actors… and a designer, a sound designer, lighting designer, the whole team at a theatre… and suddenly what started as a little idea in your mind, is so much bigger. So many more people are involved… and then when the play goes on and the audience come to watch the play night after night… its connecting with even more people. And then, hopefully, they talk and tell their friends to come and watch the play… and over the course of the run, so many people experience the play… this play which started off as a little seed inside your head. So I think that process really describes ‘tiny as mighty’. When I first started writing my debut play ‘Combustion’, it was just a seed in my head, which led to a successful run… and all the writing I’ve done since has been because of that first play… because of that first idea… because of a tiny seed in my head.
You describe skateboarding as an 'unlikely antidote to prejudice.' Is it because the sport demands respect based on skill alone, regardless of what the athlete is wearing?
That’s not my quote… but absolutely anybody from any background can play a sport… it doesn’t matter about your background, race, gender etc. In professional sport, the only thing that matters is how good you are, the skill you possess, the way you carry yourself… that’s what earns you respect. That’s what attracts all the fans towards you. And skateboarding is like any other sport, it doesn’t matter what you look like, or who you are, if you are doing incredible things on that skateboard… that’s what matters. Sport brings people together… from all over the world. Different races, different cultures, different languages… but everyone shares the same passion. This is exactly what skateboarding does.
That’s not my quote… but absolutely anybody from any background can play a sport… it doesn’t matter about your background, race, gender etc. In professional sport, the only thing that matters is how good you are, the skill you possess, the way you carry yourself… that’s what earns you respect. That’s what attracts all the fans towards you. And skateboarding is like any other sport, it doesn’t matter what you look like, or who you are, if you are doing incredible things on that skateboard… that’s what matters. Sport brings people together… from all over the world. Different races, different cultures, different languages… but everyone shares the same passion. This is exactly what skateboarding does.
What was the first piece of theatre you remember having a big impact on you?
When I was a young actor, I saw a play called ‘A Conversation With a Cupboard Man’ at Theatre in the Mill, in Bradford. It was a one man show. I remember walking into the theatre and there was one actor sat with his back to the audience, eating a bowl of beans, in one corner there was a wardrobe and in another, was a pile of waste. The actor had so much presence, he connected with all of us in the audience. He really took me on the journey with him when he became different characters… he had a way of moulding his body into those characters and transforming, which I remember being blown away by. It was funny, it was heartbreaking, it was amazing. You couldn’t keep your eyes off the actor. I remember thinking how much I would love to be able to do something like that… and the fact that such a simple play with only one actor, hardly and set and props, could do so much.
When I was a young actor, I saw a play called ‘A Conversation With a Cupboard Man’ at Theatre in the Mill, in Bradford. It was a one man show. I remember walking into the theatre and there was one actor sat with his back to the audience, eating a bowl of beans, in one corner there was a wardrobe and in another, was a pile of waste. The actor had so much presence, he connected with all of us in the audience. He really took me on the journey with him when he became different characters… he had a way of moulding his body into those characters and transforming, which I remember being blown away by. It was funny, it was heartbreaking, it was amazing. You couldn’t keep your eyes off the actor. I remember thinking how much I would love to be able to do something like that… and the fact that such a simple play with only one actor, hardly and set and props, could do so much.
What keeps you inspired?
What keeps me inspired? I think it’s probably starts with my impatience. I’m a workaholic. I always want to keep creating something. Something new. If I have a gap where I don’t need to work, I find it very hard to switch off and relax. I wish I could, I wish I could be one of those people who could just switch off from work sometimes. So I’m always actively searching for inspiration… that next project… next play. What inspires me are the people around me, my peers, sport inspires me, real life stories. I love watching documentaries. I’m a daydreamer. My children inspire me, lots of ideas come from them and I’m quite an ambitious person, a hard-working person. I also look at the world and all the bad things currently happening and I want to be able to change it for the better in someway.
What keeps me inspired? I think it’s probably starts with my impatience. I’m a workaholic. I always want to keep creating something. Something new. If I have a gap where I don’t need to work, I find it very hard to switch off and relax. I wish I could, I wish I could be one of those people who could just switch off from work sometimes. So I’m always actively searching for inspiration… that next project… next play. What inspires me are the people around me, my peers, sport inspires me, real life stories. I love watching documentaries. I’m a daydreamer. My children inspire me, lots of ideas come from them and I’m quite an ambitious person, a hard-working person. I also look at the world and all the bad things currently happening and I want to be able to change it for the better in someway.
What would you hope someone takes away from seeing Sisters360?
Fundamentally, I just hope that they enjoy the play, get absorbed by the story, laugh along, feel, I hope that those who have not seen Muslims represented like this on the stage learn something maybe. I hope children from a Muslim background walk away feeling happy and represented. I hope children from all backgrounds, boys and girls, look at the characters on stage and think ‘they’re so cool… I want to hang out with them’. I hope mums and dads who come to watch are also absorbed and entertained by the story. Someone sent me a message yesterday, saying that their seven year-old daughter watched the play last year, and still talks about the play… and how important it is that her seven year-old Muslim daughter saw my play… and saw characters that looked like her… and how it still remains strong in her memory. I responded by saying that her words made me so happy. I hope I have a lot more of that in the upcoming tour and that more people can come watch and connect with the play.
Fundamentally, I just hope that they enjoy the play, get absorbed by the story, laugh along, feel, I hope that those who have not seen Muslims represented like this on the stage learn something maybe. I hope children from a Muslim background walk away feeling happy and represented. I hope children from all backgrounds, boys and girls, look at the characters on stage and think ‘they’re so cool… I want to hang out with them’. I hope mums and dads who come to watch are also absorbed and entertained by the story. Someone sent me a message yesterday, saying that their seven year-old daughter watched the play last year, and still talks about the play… and how important it is that her seven year-old Muslim daughter saw my play… and saw characters that looked like her… and how it still remains strong in her memory. I responded by saying that her words made me so happy. I hope I have a lot more of that in the upcoming tour and that more people can come watch and connect with the play.
Sisters 360 plays on tour;
20th – 21st March 2026 Half Moon Theatre, 43 White Horse Road, London E1 0ND
28th March 2026 Midlands Art Centre
31st March 2026 Artsdepot
2nd April 2026 The Curve, Slough
4th April 2026 Derby Theatre
7th April 2026 New Wolsey Theatre
9th April 2026 Greenwich Theatre
10th April 2026 Octagon Theatre
11th April 2026 Connaught Theatre Studio
14th April 2026 Waterside, Manchester
17th April 2026 Lincoln Arts Centre
18th April 2026 Lawrence Batley Theatre
22nd April – 23rd April 2026 Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
25th April 2026 Corn Exchange Newbury
26th April 2026 Hat Factory Arts Centre
23rd May 2026 Warwick Arts Centre
24th May 2026 Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester
27th May 2026 Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre
29th May 2026 Mercury Theatre
6th June 2026 Norwich Theatre Stage Two
20th June 2026 Start of the Line Festival
21st June 2026 Migration Matters Festival
27th June 2026 Aberystwyth Arts Centre
 |
| Photo by Tasha Best |
Post a Comment