This new stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel, directed by Roxana Silbert, offers a powerful theatrical experience rooted in empathy, pain, and ultimately, resilience.
Set against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s shifting political landscape, the play charts the lives of Mariam (Rina Fatiana) and Laila (Kerena Jagpal)— two women from vastly different backgrounds whose lives become inextricably linked by circumstance and tragedy. What begins as reluctant cohabitation in a shared household becomes an unbreakable bond forged by violence, motherhood, and resistance.
The production doesn't shy away from the brutality of its subject matter. It lays bare the abuse and degradation faced by women under patriarchal rule and wartime instability, but it does so with a sensitivity that never feels gratuitous. The emotional weight of the story is carried with care and nuance by its central performers, who breathe humanity into roles that could have easily been defined by suffering alone. The result is a gorgeous story of survival—not just of the body, but of identity, agency, and love.
Visually, the staging is stark and evocative, thanks to Simon Kenny's set design. The design blends the physical and symbolic: Afghan carpets make up fractured panels which represent and echo the disruption in the characters’ lives, while light and shadow are used with restraint to great emotional effect. Music is woven throughout the production, grounding the piece in Afghan culture while also heightening moments of despair and fleeting joy.
This adaptation resonates far beyond its setting. In an age where the rights of women continue to be debated, diminished, or outright denied around the globe, A Thousand Splendid Suns offers a vital and urgent reminder that women endure. Their struggles may be shaped by specific cultural and political forces, but the themes of injustice, resilience, and solidarity are heartbreakingly universal.
Silbert’s direction is unflinching, allowing the harsh realities of the play to settle without ever becoming overly sentimental. The production doesn’t wrap its characters in neat redemptive arcs, instead, it trusts the audience to sit with the discomfort, and find strength in the quiet acts of defiance and care that make up the heart of the story.
In bringing a tale rooted in Kabul to a stage in Birmingham, this production underscores how global issues are not as distant as they may seem. It asks Western audiences to bear witness, not just to the specifics of Afghanistan’s recent history, but to the broader systems of control, inequality, and gendered violence that transcend borders.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a tribute to the unbreakable spirit of women living in the shadows of war and oppression. It is a timely and necessary piece of theatre, filled with harrow, but ultimately, with hope, too.
5*****
A Thousand Splendid Suns runs until Saturday 3rd May A Thousand Splendid Suns | Birmingham Rep
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