Adapting a successful book for the stage is risky. What to leave out for a start? Nesrin Alrefaai and Mathew Spangler’s script, based on Christy Lefteri’s 2019 novel, tells the story of a family of Syrian refugees and their harrowing escape through Europe to an uncertain limbo in the UK.
Photo © Manuel Harlan
Opening scenes are mainly exposition dialogue and character establishment. Once this ponderous stage passes, thankfully the play itself comes to life.
Switching between Yorkshire and Aleppo five years apart (helpfully indicated by projected titles) the play gains momentum and soon has the audience emotionally engaged, if not enjoying what unfolds. And what happens is grim. Lefteri’s experience as a UNICEF volunteer in a refugee camp in Athens has clear impact here.
Having lost their son, Nuri and Afra flee from soldiers and put themselves in the hands of the unscrupulous and exploitative traffickers as they struggle to reach the UK where relatives await. Their journey is fraught with dangers and deaths and both suffer both physical and mental damage.
Adam Sina as Nuri and Farah Saffari as Afra both give solid performances, and the ensemble of multi roling actors playing officials, refugees and others are universally excellent. Individual praise must go to Dona Atallah whose portrayal of the two boys is simply outstanding and utterly credible.
The set is a universal blend of sandy rocks as levels with furniture integrated and a series of doors and windows behind. All are used imaginatively and to great effect as the pace in the second half increases and ensemble movement sequences bring the whole stage to life.
The moment at the end when the veil literally and metaphorically drops from Nuri’s eyes as he faces the truth about himself is wonderfully directed.
The best design elements are the lighting and projections. These play across the walls, with real footage of scenes in Aleppo blended with children’s drawing of woods creating haunting images. The superb scene of refugees on a boat from Turkey shows the real power of theatre as a perfect story telling medium.
This production is now into a third year of touring and a new Director and creative team have clearly made some tweaks and polished sections. This process needs to be ongoing but the play as it stands is testament to allowing an audience to use their imagination and suspend their disbelief and allow themselves to be taken on a journey, albeit a difficult one.
There is no doubt many in the audience were profoundly moved and emotionally invested in what they experienced. This is a production that has moments of pure theatrical class, some excellent performances and outstanding visual design effects.
Not a play with any easy answers to the immigration or horrors of war issues, but plenty to share about courage, resilience, families and even a few laughs.
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Reviewer: Tony Burton
