Exceptional, staggering and moving are three words I would use to describe A Thousand Splendid Suns. The adaptation of the popular novel by playwright Ursula Rani Sarma, shines a light on Afghanistan during a time of extreme violence and civil unrest which is often not discussed with great detail in the Western world.
I certainly found this a very eye opening piece of theatre, one that is truly stunning. It tells the story of Laila, who when her parents are tragically killed by a bomb, is rescued by Rasheed and his wife, Mariam. With the threat of the Taliban and the oncoming war, she is forced to marry Rasheed and live with his wife. Over time, she realises Rasheed is not the kind, gentle and caring man she once thought he was, and after the birth of her two children, she begins to plot and find a way to escape him and Afghanistan with Mariam.
The cast is virtually faltless with the most memorable and noteworthy performances being Sujaya Dasgupta and Amina Zia as Laila and Mariam respectively. Both were able to convey each ounce of pain and heartbreak during the most pivotal moments of the play and the strong but unlikely relationship between the two characters was portrayed phenomenally well and this made the audience feel and imagine every single smile or tear. As I said, the entire cast were phenomenal and each member helped convey this story.
One thing which really stood out and was a nice addition to the show was the traditonal music, composed by Mahmood Kamen and Dave Price, which added another dimension to the show and helped highlight the climatic moments of the play. In addition, the direction of the piece by Roxana Silbert showed the kindness, determination and bravery of the women in Afghanistan at the time and showed how much of an effect the war and the Taliban had on ordinary, day-to-day life.
When considering the play as a whole, I found some parts really fast paced and intense while other scenes lacked this and were a bit passive but with a bit of work, this could easily be fixed as it is often one of the many challenges of adapting a book into a play.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is an astonishing and informative piece of theatre with a real emphasis on the courage and bravery of women. It is beautifully portrayed by a remarkable cast and is a melancholic, yet stunning piece of theatre.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is currently playing at the Northern Stage in Newcastle until the 15th June. More information including how to buy tickets, can be found here.
Photo Credit: Pamela Raith
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