‘The Unknown Variable’ Is A Special Piece Full Of Laughter And Heart
An impactful show about the unique relationship between an Iranian girl and the father she wants to be with, The Unknown Variable will have you laughing, crying, and discussing at length.
Stories about fathers and daughters are as old as time. The relationships can be complicated and beautiful, but they are unique to the two people involved. No two relationships are the same. I lost my father a few years ago, and I think of him all the time. So, when Āvā in The Unknown Variable spoke the words, “You’ll always be here because you love me” about her father, I knew that playwright Nahal Navidar understands something that is impossible to explain.
Momentary Theatre’s new production of The Unknown Variable is about Āvā, a woman who is looking back on the relationship that she had with her father. Raised as a young girl by him and her mother in Iran – when she was the precocious apple of his eye – she and her mother moved to America and waited for him to get approved for his green card to join them. The show ranges from age 5 through the next few decades, as Āvā grows up and experiences various situations, people, and maturity levels.
This is a special play. I remember having this feeling when I first saw English, and the connection is not because they both discuss Iranian immigration, which they do – although here, as seen through the eyes of a child. There is a depth to The Unknown Variable – a simmering just under the surface. It reaches you. It touches you. And between the laughing and the sniffling around me, I know that I wasn’t the only person having this experience.
The Unknown Variable approaches the relationship between Āvā and her father, Bābā, along a spectrum throughout Āvā’s life. As a young child, he is the most special person in the world. She literally counts the seconds until he comes home from work. They share a love of math, music, and culture, among many other things. But then they are separated and unable to communicate with each other, so she continues to grow into an Iranian American adolescent. She becomes aware of the differences between who she is and the other kids, but isn’t sure yet what to do with them.
Eventually, she finds her footing in this new culture, treading lightly between the two. Who she was years ago is not necessarily who she wants to be now. And Bābā, who loves her more than anything, has to navigate this new world and relationship through the lens of his own experiences.
The cast of this show is wonderful. Tina El Gamal plays Āvā, both as narrator and character. Spanning 25 years over the course of the show (as demonstrated, in part, by different hairstyles), Gamal is charming and likeable, guiding you through the story full of nimble preschool-age jumping and teenage eye-rolls.
Ninos Baba plays Bābā, a warm, gentle, and kind mathematician and father, embodying all of the subtle physicalities of a middle-aged father. And Antonio L. Rodriguez, who plays various roles (from little kid to best friend to teacher), is absolutely hilarious. The three actors balance a chemistry that makes you want to continue taking the journey with them.
The set is sparse, with movable blocks and small set pieces being utilized from scene to scene, but the background piece – including white scrim wall cutouts, shelves, wood designs, an opening, and a green-paned door – gives a lift to the show lighting. With purples, blues, and various other colors that get lit between scenes, the white often comes across differently, while the green always stays the same. It is a subtle effect, but a welcome one.
Also, the set shelves and hooks show off small items that are utilized during the course of the show – the course of Āvā’s memory – such that, by the time the show is over, most of them are gone. A beautiful and emotionally connective choice once you realize what is happening.
This production of The Unknown Variable is excellent, and I highly recommend that you make time to see it. I laughed, I chuckled, I fell silent, and I cried several times. I suspect that you will too.
The Unknown Variable runs for approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Momentary Theatre Company: The Unknown Variable Chicago Review – The Unknown Variable is playing at The Edge Theater through 2/1/2026. Tickets can be purchased on their website. The Edge Theater is located at 1133 W. Catalpa Ave in Chicago.