Writer: Khaled Hosseini
Adaptor: Mathew Spangler
Director: Giles Croft
The musician Hanif Khan performs magnificently on the tabla as the audience assembles for this renowned play, The Kite Runner. The play is based on Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel of the same name and adapted for the stage by the playwright Matthew Spangler. It is a play of many themes and represents storytelling at its best. The play explores father son relationships, Afghan culture, a country on the brink of war, asylum, clashes of culture, a love story, betrayal, shame and redemption.
It opens in Kabul in the 1970 at a time of relative peace in the country. Amir (Stuart Vincent) and Hassan (Yazdan Qafouri) are best friends. Baba, Amir’s father is from the more privileged and prosperous Pashtun ethnic group while his servant Ali (Tiran Aakel), Hassan’s father is a Hazaras, a minority ethnic group in Afghanistan that has always suffered discrimination. Ali has served Baba for forty years and Baba considers Ali and Hassan as family.
Kite flying, before being banned by the Taliban, was one of the country’s most popular sports. The kite’s string was glued with crushed glass and the aim was to fly high and then swoop down on the opponents to cut their kite down. The boys who could not afford a kite were the kite runners and retrieved the fallen kites. Amir became a champion kite flyer and when Hassan went to retrieve his friend Amir’s kite he was set-upon and sexually attacked. Amir witnessed the attack but did not go to the aid of his friend, and from that point on the twelve-year-old Amir felt intense guilt which he did not know how to deal with.
Amir’s role in the play is a very challenging. Vincent carries it off magnificently. He is on stage throughout the play and cleverly swaps between the young boy with a hunched shoulder demeanour, anxious for his father’s love and approval, to the story teller speaking directly to the audience. The text allows him to deliver humour and gauche love which he does so successfully.
Qafouri is a convincing Hassan. His portrayal of unflinching loyalty to his friend does not fail to evoke compassionate emotions from the audience. Later in the play Qafouri also takes on the role of Farid with equal dignity and composure.
There are many twists and turns in this epic story as Amir and his father Baba (Dean Rehman) emigrate to California where there is a significant Afghan community. Baba still retains his pride despite his change in wealth and status. Rehman role is a convincing one.
Music accompanies the play throughout, subtly creating the atmosphere, the sound of the wind, the tension and the pathos of the scenes. It truly transports you to another place.
The Kite Runner is touring, so the set design needs to be simple and flexible which it succeeds admirably. There are two massive kites as a backdrop onto which different backdrops are projected creating scene changes. The large pillars at the back can be interpreted as high rise buildings or substantial fencing.
As the play progresses the story unwinds. At the bequest of an old family friend Amir goes back to visit Afghanistan where a long held secret is revealed to him. Is redemption for Amir found at the end of the play? This powerful and at times brutal play is outstanding. It is a play, a story not to be missed.
Runs until 8 June 2024
The Reviews Hub Score
Powerful
