In May, I was lucky enough to watch the theatre production of Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, at the Birmingham Rep Theatre. The story takes us into Taliban controlled Afghanistan and follows the lives of Mariam and Laila, who build an unlikely friendship with a common enemy: their husband, Rasheed.
The play's scenery, depicting the fragmented world of Kabul under Taliban rule and the innovate use of flashback techniques make for an adaption which unravels with stunning velocity. The use of metaphorical dramatisation techniques to depict some of the novel's most difficult events were particularly hard hitting. The repeated mantra of Mariam’s Mother on stage was used to symbolise the internal struggles of Mariam, which are only resolved through her death. A scene which sees burqa clad women encircling Laila is used to symbolise the inescapable oppression of women at the hands of the Taliban regime.
Notably, it was the casting of Amina Zia as Mariam who stole the hearts of the audience by commanding such immense stage presence. Initally, Mariam is presented as little more than a bitter, worn-out, middle aged woman. But as the tragic events unfold, Mariam gradually finds her strength and her sense of self and destiny. While the theatre production opted to write out several of the most difficult scenes of abuse and rape from the novel, the sheer brutality which Laila and Mariam were subject to at the hands of Rasheed (an uncompromising performance by Pal Aron) only served to build stronger alliances with the audience.
This was the most stunning production of A Thousand Splendid Suns I could ever have hoped for. It's everything theatre should be: gripping, heart-rendering and utterly painful to watch at times.
Antonia x
No comments
Post a Comment