The Kite Runner (play)

Last updated

The Kite Runner
Written by Matthew Spangler
Date premiered2009
Place premiered San Jose Repertory Theatre, San Jose, California
Original languageEnglish

The Kite Runner is a stage adaption of Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini's 2003 book The Kite Runner . Aside from sharing the 2003 book as a source, it is unrelated to the 2007 film The Kite Runner . The play was adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler and premiered at San Jose Repertory Theatre in 2009.

Contents

A Broadway production starring Amir Arison as Amir and featuring Azita Ghanizada as Soraya, Eric Sirakian as Hassan/Sohrab, and Faran Tahir as Baba opened to very mixed reviews at the Hayes Theater on July 21, 2022. A national tour of the Broadway production by the same producers and director launched in 2024; starring Ramzi Khalaf as Amir, and featuring Awesta Zarif [1] as Soraya, Shahzeb Zahid Hussain as Hassan/Sohrab, and Haythem Noor as Baba. [2]

Description

The fast-paced play depicts most of what happens in the book. [3] As in the book, The Kite Runner is narrated by Amir, who is obsessed with an "unatoned sin" he committed as a well-off child in 1970s Kabul: Amir betrayed his childhood friend, servant, and kite running partner Hassan when Amir's cowardice, and his desperate need to please his father, cause him to abandon Hassan in the face of a vicious and shocking attack by a neighborhood bully. In 2001, Amir has settled in America when he receives a call telling him: "There is a way to be good again." He then takes a dangerous trip, on the eve of the American invasion, into Taliban-controlled Kabul. [4]

Reception

Broadway

The Broadway production, directed by Giles Croft opened on 21 July 2022 and ran through 30 October 2022 at the Helen Hayes Theater was received with very mixed critical reviews.

The New York Times Maya Phillips called the production "stiff" and lead actor Amir Arison's performance "spotty": Under Giles Croft's direction, Arison's Broadway debut proves spotty. He recites his opening lines with the stiffness of a child delivering a book report, and never totally eases into the role... The part would be tough work for any actor; Amir is onstage for the entire show, and the transitions between his middle-aged and younger selves, some three decades apart, require the kind of gymnastics that not every performer can stick." [5]

Chris Jones of The New York Daily News referred to Croft's production as being "underwhelming... [with] overtly presentational direction... [and] mostly a disappointment." Also pointing out "a strange flatness" to Spangler's adaptation. "Everything is too slow, too ponderous and, in the case of all of the actors playing multiple roles, their confusing trajectories were insufficiently thought out by the director." [6]

Charles Isherwood of The Wall Street Journal commented on Spangler's adaptation: "With the help of a superlative cast, led by Amir Arison, playing the central role of a character also named Amir, and lucid direction by Giles Croft, the Broadway production brings the largely gripping narrative to life, even if it cannot fully capture the textured complexity of Mr. Hosseini's writing." [7]

In his review for Deadline, Greg Evans states the production "seeming more like an elaborately staged reading... an audio book come to life... tells the story (and tells is the operative word)." [8]

In The New Yorker , Elizabeth Vincentelli noted the "production does well, for the most part, by the source material, even if it can be frustratingly earthbound." [9]

New York Theatre Guide's Diep Tran noted the adaptation is faithful to a fault, "...Toward the end of the play, Amir kneels down in prayer, his arms out and hands outstretched... So much is unspoken in Arison's inflections and body language: his desperation, sadness, and guilt. If only The Kite Runner on Broadway depended less on the novel and trusted more on its stagecraft. There might have been more moments like this, of flight and transcendence." [10]

Marilyn Stasio in their Variety review praised the production and Spangler's adaptation as being "a heartbreaker – but so uplifting, it's worth the pain." [11]

The New York Post reviewed the production as being "straightforward, to-the-point play, but one that's easy to embrace and gripping as it unfurls." [12]

The Daily Beast criticized the hateful portrayal of a gay character referring to the production as "homophobic trash", stating the production "contains many, perhaps unintended, narratives about masculinity, sexuality, and intimacy it does not have the will, or maybe courage or depth, to confront." Also noting the play's only significant female character, Soraya, played by (Azita Ghanizada), "is mostly sidelined, which is a shame because Ghanizada brings some much-needed life and sharpness to a frustratingly underwritten part." [13]

Earlier productions

The San Francisco Chronicle pointed out in 2009 that Spangler spends the whole first act on the first quarter of the novel, giving the remainder "a kind of CliffsNotes rush". [3] The Globe and Mail gave a 2009 production 3 out of 4 stars, calling it "a ripping good yarn", but "dangerously simplistic about modern-day Afghanistan". [4]

The Financial Times gave a 2013 production 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "the novel roams through decades and across continents, is brilliantly evocative and is written in the first person ... while this structure works so well on the page, on stage it always makes for a slightly awkward experience, in which the characters appear in short illustrative episodes, rather than driving the story." [14]

In the UK, a Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company production, directed by Giles Croft, was shortlisted for the 2014 Best Regional Production in the WhatsOnStage Awards, but lost to a production of Oliver! . [15]

The production transferred to the Wyndham's Theatre in the West End in December 2016, where it played a limited run until 11 March 2017. [16] The production returned to the West End at the Playhouse Theatre on 8 June 2017, and played a limited run to 26 August. [17] [18]

Future Productions

UK & Ireland Tour (2024)

The play will run a tour of 16 venues in the UK and Ireland, opening in March at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury, then going on to play the Richmond Theatre, Theatre Royal in Bath, Chester Storyhouse, Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, Glasgow's Theatre Royal, Nottingham Playhouse, Liverpool Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, The Lowry in Salford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, Malvern's Festival Theatre, Sheffield Lyceum, Brighton Theatre Royal, Newcastle's Theatre Royal, and finishing in Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre in early July. [19]

North American Tour (2024)

The play will run a tour visiting 21 US cities including Chicago, Charlotte, West Palm Beach and Washington, DC. The tour opened on April 9, 2024 at ASU Gammage in Tempe, AZ.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Kite Runner</i> 2003 novel by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner is the first novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, it tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul. The story is 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottingham Playhouse</span>

Nottingham Playhouse is a theatre in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It was first established as a repertory theatre in 1948 when it operated from a former cinema in Goldsmith Street. Directors during this period included Val May and Frank Dunlop. The current building opened in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Warchus</span> British director and dramatist

Matthew Warchus is an English theatre director, filmmaker and dramaturg. He has been the Artistic Director of London's The Old Vic since September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Theatrical Productions</span> Subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company

Disney Theatrical Productions Limited (DTP), also known as Disney on Broadway, is the stageplay and musical production company of the Disney Theatrical Group, a subsidiary of Disney Entertainment, a major division and business unit of The Walt Disney Company.

<i>Animal Crackers</i> (musical) Musical by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby

Animal Crackers is a musical play with music and lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. The musical starred the Marx Brothers and is set at the Long Island Home of Mrs. Rittenhouse; a character portrayed by Margaret Dumont in the 1928 production on Broadway.

Azita Ghanizada is an American television, film and stage actress. She is known for her work on the television series Alphas, and the Broadway musical The Kite Runner. In addition to her acting work, Ghanizada is also the founder and President of the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition.

<i>The Kite Runner</i> (film) 2007 American film

The Kite Runner is a 2007 American drama film directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by David Benioff and based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Khaled Hosseini. It tells the story of Amir (Ebrahimi) a well-to-do boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul who is tormented by the guilt of abandoning his friend Hassan (Mahmoodzada). The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of the monarchy in Afghanistan through the Soviet military intervention, the mass exodus of Afghan refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the Taliban regime.

Joe DiPietro is an American playwright, lyricist and author. He is best known for the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis, for which he won the Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score as well as for writing the book and lyrics for the long-running off-Broadway show I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.

Raj Ghatak is a British actor. He is known for diverse roles across stage and screen, notably as Sweetie in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bollywood musical Bombay Dreams and, as Grayson in the Channel 4 drama Dead Set written by Emmy-winning Charlie Brooker. In 2018, Ghatak won the Eastern Eye ACTA Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Amir in The Kite Runner on stage. From 2020 to 2021, he appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors as Aashiq Sawney.

Ben Turner is a British Iranian actor, most notable for his roles as nurse Jay Faldren on BBC's Casualty, the lead role of Amir in multiple stage adaptations of The Kite Runner, and as Louis XV in Doctor Who.

Christopher Ashley is an American stage director. Since 2007, he has been the artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse.

Matthew Spangler is an American playwright, director, and professor of performance studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ako (actress)</span> Japanese actress

Ako, or Ako Dachs, is a Japanese actress who is the founding Artistic Director of the Amaterasu Za theatre company. She received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Yeung</span> Canadian actor

Norman Yeung is a Canadian actor, writer, filmmaker and artist.

Amir Arison is an American actor, best known for his work as FBI tech expert Aram Mojtabai on NBC’s The Blacklist for ten seasons.

Robert Icke is an English writer and theatre director. He has been referred to as the "great hope of British theatre."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dariush Kashani</span>

Dariush Kashani is an American film, stage and television actor. Kashani gained critical acclaim for his role as Hassan Asfour in the 2017 Tony Award winning production of the Broadway play Oslo which went on to include a full sweep of the 2016-2017 awards season including the Lucille Lortel Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play. Kashani also earned an Obie award along with company of Oslo for his work in the Off Broadway production at Lincoln Center. Other stage credits include the Broadway musical The Band's Visit, The Invisible Hand at New York Theatre Workshop and the Tony Kushner play Homebody/Kabul alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. On March 1, 2018, Kashani assumed the lead role in the Broadway musical The Band's Visit. Kashani also appeared in the AMC series Dietland. Other notable works on screen include Bobby Tooch on Ghost Whisperer and Minister Tousi in Madam Secretary.

<i>The Inheritance</i> (play) 2018 play by Matthew Lopez

The Inheritance is a play by Matthew López that is inspired by the 1910 novel Howards End by E. M. Forster. The play premiered in London at the Young Vic in March 2018, before transferring to Broadway in November 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures</span>

Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures is the live show, stageplay and musical production arm of Warner Bros. Discovery. The company forms a part of Warner Bros., one of the major business segments of Warner Bros. Discovery. Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures is led by Mark Kaufman.

<i>Hercules</i> (musical) 2019 musical by Kristoffer Diaz

Hercules is a musical based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1997 film of the same name, with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and David Zippel, and a book by Kristoffer Diaz, Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah. The production is also loosely based on the legendary hero of the same name, the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology.

References

  1. https://www.awestazarif.com/ [ bare URL ]
  2. https://thekiterunnerbroadway.com/cast/ [ bare URL ]
  3. 1 2 Robert, Hurwitt (March 30, 2009). "Play review: 'The Kite Runner' true to source". San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. 1 2 J. Kelly, Nestruck (March 20, 2013). "From book to stage, The Kite Runner is a ripping good yarn". The Globe and Mail.
  5. Phillips, Maya (July 22, 2022). "Review: 'The Kite Runner' Trips From Page to Stage". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  6. Chris, Jones (July 21, 2022). "' On Broadway Review 'The Kite Runner' fails to soar on the winds of truth". New York Daily News..
  7. Isherwood, Charles. "Opinion | 'The Kite Runner' Review: A Story of Betrayal and Redemption". WSJ. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  8. Greg Evans (July 21, 2022). "'The Kite Runner' Broadway Review: Earnest Adaptation Of Beloved Novel Struggles To Soar". Deadline..
  9. Elisabeth, Vincentelli. "'The Kite Runner' Review". The New Yorker..
  10. Tran, Diep (July 21, 2022). "| NewYorkTheatreGuide.com". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  11. Marilyn, Stasio (July 22, 2022). "'The Kite Runner' Review". Variety.
  12. Johnny, Oleksinski (July 21, 2022). "'The Kite Runner' Broadway review". New York Post.
  13. Tim, Teeman (July 21, 2022). "'The Kite Runner' on Broadway Is Homophobic Trash". Daily Beast..
  14. Sarah Hemming (April 30, 2013). "The Kite Runner, Nottingham Playhouse – review". Financial Times.
  15. "2015 Results". 17th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards.
  16. "The Kite Runner to get West End premiere". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  17. "The Kite Runner Headed to the Playhouse Theatre","boxoffice.co.uk", April 4, 2017
  18. Phil Willmott (May 4, 2017). "The West End's Kite Flies On".
  19. "The Kite Runner: Tour Dates" . Retrieved January 19, 2024.