In June 2022 Essex Cultural Diversity Project was pleased to support Kabul Goes Pop at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester. The production ran from Wednesday 15 June until Saturday 18 June, and was inspired by a true story of Afghanistan’s first youth music TV programme. Kabul Goes Pop: Music Television Afghanistan explored the devastating effects as two young friends take on the political landscape while trying to build a new Afghanistan.

Kabul Goes Pop brings us into a world post the US invasion that is complex, contradictory, and shocking – all to a soundtrack of early 00’s pop!

The Mercury were delighted to welcome their Mercury Playwright alumni Waleed Akhtar back with his brilliant play – 14 months ago Kabul Goes Pop started its journey as an online Mercury Reads. They are thrilled to have seen this play through from page to stage in a Co-production with Brixton House, HighTide in association with the Mercury.