The Beekeeper of Aleppo
Christy Lefteri, adapted by Nesrin Alrefani & Matthew Spangler
Directed by Anthony Almeida (original director Miranda Cromwell)
Richmond Theatre and touring
Star rating: 3.5
I first saw this Nottingham Playhouse Production three years ago on its home turf. Now touring, with a cast of eight which includes some actors from the original show, it has changed a little but remains powerfully moving.
Based on Christy Lefteri’s bestselling 2019 novel, the play explores the experience of migration to Britian from terrifying places of conflict – specifically Syria in the case of the titular beekeeper, Nuri (Adam Sina). As well as migration itself we are led to think about loss, marriage, parenting, guilt and friendship among other things. “Where there are bees there is life and hope” Nuri’s cousin and fellow beekeeper observes as bees emerge as a metaphor for what we all want: a harmonious, peaceful, collaborative way of living together.
Nuri, gradually afflicted by PTSD, which everyone can see except him, is sensitively portrayed. Adam Sina gives him loving warmth and tremendous decency all of which gradually crumbles into despair until something happens to change that. And Farah Saffari, is pretty strong as his damaged (blinded by trauma), troubled wife, Afra, although – possibly because of the acoustic of Richmond Theatre – she isn’t always audible from Row G. There is delightful work, too from Joseph Long as gentle, wise cousin Mustafa and the Moroccan man in a south coast hostel desperately, and hilariously, trying to adopt British ways. Otherwise this is very much an ensemble piece, sometimes using physical theatre, in which the other five actors show a lot of versatility.
Ruby Pugh’s ingenious set presents a sort of rocky promontory with an inset door, window, trap door, bed and armchair, against which all the action is played. And there are a lot of scenes in this play, ranging right across Europe and shifting back and forwards in time but the storytelling is commendably clear. Video projection by Zsolt Balogh and Palma Studio adds a lot of atmospheric and colourful detail and the captions to indicate location are a sensible idea. The sound design is neat too ranging as it does from bombs to seagulls and, of course, bees.
It ends on a note of forward-looking optimism because, naturally, there are bees so there is hope.
