Directed by Giles Croft, The Kite Runner returns home to Nottingham with international acclaim following its successful staging on Broadway and two West End seasons. This time as part of a UK tour.
The stage adaptation is by Matthew Spangler and based on Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini’s 2003 bestselling novel of the same name. It’s a haunting tale of friendship which spans cultures and continents. Following one man’s journey to confront his past, find redemption and ‘a way to be good again.’
In the interests of full disclosure this is the fourth time I’ve seen The Kite Runner over the years, including once in London’s West End. I was interested to see whether it would have the same emotional impact on me.
The play begins in Afghanistan, a country on the verge of war in the 1970s. We meet two best friends – Amir, played by Stuart Vincent and Hassan played by Yazdan Qafouri. Both actors excel in challenging roles. Amir is the narrator of their story as it unfolds. Vincent switches effortless between telling the story to taking part in the action at different ages – as a child, teenager and grown man in his thirties. His movements and vocal inflections reflect his different ages. Qafouri imbues Hassan with a sweet and trusting nature which makes what happens all the more shocking.
The close relationship between Amir and Hassan is based on their being brought up together and a kite running partnership. In this well-off Pashtun family household Hassan is the son of Ali a Hazara servant. The divide between the families based on class and religion is a mirror to Afghan society.
It’s Amir’s desire to please his father, Ali – played with authority by Tiran Aakel, that leads Amir to betray Hassan after an act of cowardice. Bhavin Bhatt as Assef is chilling in the role of sadistic neighbourhood bully and later Taliban leader. The impact of that betrayal upon Ali and Baba, played movingly by Dean Rehman, Hassan’s dying father is heartbreaking.
The play falls into two parts. The first focusses on events in 1970s Kabul. The second Amir and Ali’s escape from Afghanistan and the Taliban to the USA via Pakistan. Though America provides a physical place of safety there’s still a difficult relationship between father and son. Amir follows his dream of becoming a writer. Settling into an American way off life within the local Afghan community.
In 2001, after his marriage to Soraya played by Daphne Kouma, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan, played by Christopher Glover, his father’s aid who is now based in Pakistan. Khan tells him: “There is a way to be good again.” Amir makes a dangerous journey into Taliban-controlled Kabul.
Amir returns to San Francisco with Sohrab, Hassan’s son also played by Qafouri. Again he gives an emotionally charged performance of a traumatised child.
The presence of Daphne Kouma as Soraya, Amir’s wife helps lighten the intensity of the overall story and male focus, she’s just one of two female actors. She along with Aram Mardourian, who plays a number of roles, both appeared in The Beekeeper of Aleppo staged at the Playhouse last year.
The epic and fast paced nature of the story means that the small cast take on multiple roles. With the speed at which events happen this could be confusing, but under Croft’s direction it’s always very clear which person they are inhabiting.
The use of a beautiful, minimal set, means all the actors’ performances are allowed to shine and take centre stage. The use of lighting and sound help differentiate the locations – reflecting the skylines of Kabul, Pakistan and San Francisco. The live Tabla music beautifully performed throughout by Hanif Khan helps reinforce a sense of the Afghan identity.
The Kite Runner is a hard-hitting story exploring, issues of class, religion, sexual assault and immigration. Crossing continents and generations The Kite Runner is so much more than the telling of Amir and Hassan’s individual stories. It’s ultimately a powerful and uplifting tale about the power of redemption and atoning for past actions.
Originally produced by Nottingham Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman in 2013, The Kite Runner is a fantastic piece of storytelling. Connecting people and communities.
Watching The Kite Runner is an emotional roller-coaster. It grips you from beginning to end. Do come and see it if you can. On at Nottingham Playhouse until the 20th April. The Kite Runner is touring the UK through to July. Dates can be found at https://www.thekiterunnerplay.com/
