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The Kite Runner cast
Reviews

The Kite Runner Review

Jun 12, 2024
-
Posted by Roz Scott

Amir is a disappointment to his father – creative like his late mother. He is a writer in Khaled Hosseini’s novel which is adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler and directed by Giles Croft. Amir learns to fly a kite with his faithful friend and servant, Hassan and hopes to make his father proud of him by winning the competition. Amir and Hassan are inseparable at the start of the show.

Hassan is as “loyal as a dog.” Would Amir do the same for Hassan? A terrible incident shatters their lives and destroys their friendship forever. Neither Hassan nor Amir fully recover, and their fathers’ do not understand what has happened. The boys are sworn to secrecy and haunted, unable to speak up or seek help.

Amir and Hassan

The Kite Runner begins in Afghanistan, a country on the verge of war. It’s a story among other things, about childhood and migration. Amir and his father emigrate to America and, stripped of their wealth and status, Amir’s father works in a gas station. However, they find an Afghan community and adjust to their new lives. Time passes and the boys grow up.

Eventually, Amir is summoned to Pakistan to meet Rahim Khan, (a trusted family friend) played by Christopher Glover, who sets him on a secret mission. It’s Amir’s chance to make peace with the past and find redemption.

Characterisation is strong. Hassan has huge dignity and makes many sacrifices to protect Amir. Yazdan Qafouri captures Hassan’s character extremely well and plays his son, Sohrab. He is accustomed to complex theatre as a Shakespearean actor like Stuart Vincent who plays Amir, the central protagonist. Amir injects humour as a child but comes of age and grows into a man during the play.

Amir and Baba

Dean Rehman is Baba, Amir’s father, puzzled about this sensitive child he doesn’t know how he created. Dean studied in New York and has TV, film, radio and theatre credits on both sides of the pond. Daphne Kouma who plays Soraya, Amir’s wife, is a French/Greek actress who has starred in Eastenders.

I thoroughly enjoyed this play, enhanced by musician Hanif Khan who played the Tabla and percussion prominently on the stage during the performance. The music brought Afghanistan to the audience and authenticity to the production. Songs were sung live, off-stage and the set was also imaginative. Direction by Matthew Spangler and Musical direction and composition by Johnathan Girling were both faultless.

Don’t miss The Kite Runner this week – a tale of friendship and betrayal, guilt and redemption, childhood and migration based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel – you won’t be disappointed.

Theatre Royal Brighton, New Road
Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 June 2024
Barry Rivett, Hotshot Photography

Jun 12, 2024
Email
Roz Scott
When not reviewing plays, you can find Roz out and about chasing stories as a journalist or tutoring English literature. You can subscribe to her blog at www.rozscott.com. If not, she will be snuggling with her cat and reading the paper. Get in touch if you have a story for Roz.
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