REVIEW: THE KITE RUNNER

In February, I was lucky enough to watch Khaled Hosseini's international bestselling novel (my favourite novel of all time!) brought to life at the Aylesbury Waterside theatre. The Kite Runner is a haunting tale of friendship which spans decades, cultures and continents and follows one man's journey to confront his past and find redemption.

"There is a way to be good again" 

The theatrical adaption uses first-person narration through the eyes of Amir, against the backdrop of 1970s Afghanistan, a country on the verge of war. The streets of Kabul may be full of the excitement of a kite flying tournament but no one could have foreseen the terrible incident that will ultimately shatter the lives of childhood friends, Amir and Hassan, forever. The narration weaves in and out of a complicated web of relationships that occur; between father and son, childhood friends and later, between husband and wife. Meanwhile, the set works quietly with subtle slopes to mirror the outdoor ground and the places of Amir's childhood play. The physical set expands to replicate the impressive city skyline of San Francisco, refuge to Amir and his father when they must flee Taliban-occupied Afghanistan, which completely changes the tone of the performance. Moreover, the ever-changing beat of the performance is created by Hanif Khan, who sits in the front corner of the stage and plays the tabla, an Indian percussion instrument. 

David Ahmad is the show's standout performance, as he effortlessly transitions from playing himself as a child and the story's narrator, which makes for very very effective storytelling. Through the use of this powerful narrative device, early scenes between childhood friends, Amir and Hassan, cleverly foreshadow the inevitable doom of their friendship, unable to stand the test of ethnic, social and political divides. Another memorable moment of the play is when the ensemble sweeps on and off the stage (the streets of Kabul), to create a buzz in the audience as if they too are watching the kite flying tournament in real life. 

The Kite Runner is a played filled with as much love and laughter as it is filled with such chilling tragedy. It is a tale of Amir's journey to find redemption, set against the rapidly changing political backdrop of Afghanistan. 

Antonia x