After a sell-out run in 2013, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse’s production of The Kite Runner returns this September for one week only. The stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s beloved novel features many of the original cast members, including Ben Turner in the role of Amir, and will be at the Liverpool Playhouse from Monday 8th to Saturday 13th September before embarking on a national tour.
Kabul. Two motherless boys learn to crawl, walk and kite-fight side by side, however neither Hassan nor Amir can foresee a terrible incident that will rip their lives apart. Set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan’s monarchy through the Soviet invasion, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime, it charts a friendship that spans cultures and continents and follows one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption.
Directed by Nottingham Playhouse Artistic Director Giles Croft, this production was hailed by the Liverpool ECHO as the Best Production of 2013, and played to packed houses and standing ovations at the Playhouse last summer.
Ben Turner will be returning to lead the cast at the Playhouse. As well as originating the role of Amir, Ben is well known for his roles in Casualty, Doctor Who, and recent B.B.C. drama WPC 56. Also returning is tabla player Hanif Khan, whose on stage musical accompaniment gave a unique atmosphere to the play.
Giles Croft said: “I am delighted that following its success in Nottingham and Liverpool that the production will have a longer life. The power and relevance of The Kite Runner doesn’t diminish and I have no doubt that this will prove to be a timeless story.”
Also returning from the original cast are Antony Bunsee (Richard III, Henry V, RSC), Emilio Doorgasingh (Eastenders, B.B.C.), Nicholas Khan (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Liverpool Playhouse), David Ahmad (Potted Potter, Little Shubert Theatre, New York), Nicholas Karimi(The Magic Flute, ENO), Ezra Khan (Macbeth, Barbican), Waleed Akhtar (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) and Lisa Zahra (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Torch Theatre). Joining the production for this revival areBhavin Bhatt (Murder In Suburbia, I.T.V.) and Andrei Costin (She Liked Pretty Things, 5 Minute Festival) in the role of Hassan.
Tickets for the performances of The Kite Runner can be purchased from the Box office on Williamson Square or Everyman Theatre, by telephone on 0151 7094776 or online at www.everymanplayhouse.com.