Leeds Playhouse reveals stunning new production shots for A Thousand Splendid Suns

Beautiful new production shots show how Leeds Playhouse’s epic Quarry stage is being transformed into the stunning world of A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Ursula Rani Sarma’s play based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling spiritual sequel to The Kite Runner is presented by Leeds Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Nottingham Playhouse. It is at Birmingham Rep until 3 May before transferring to Nottingham Playhouse on 13-24 May and Leeds Playhouse on 28 May-14 June.

Roxana Silbert, who directed the critically acclaimed European Premiere of the play at The Rep in May 2019, has returned to helm this new production. She said: “I’m honoured to be revisiting this beautiful adaptation of A Thousand Splendid Suns, one of the final plays I directed at The Rep before I ended my tenure as Artistic Director in 2019. This is a new production in response to the evolving challenges women face in Afghanistan – and sadly even more urgent and necessary today than it was six years ago.”

Set & Costume Designer Simon Kenny added: “It’s set in a place that a lot of people aren’t familiar with, or what they do know is from news reports. Whilst the physical landscape is a crucial part of the story, I didn’t want to just focus on that. At its heart, this is a story about women, family and love and that is what I wanted to suggest through the design.

“Authenticity can be important in any production, and this is no exception, but at the same time this isn’t a history lesson. We need the story to come alive on stage, so the design must enhance the storytelling and engage audiences.”

The cast for this new production is: David Ahmad (Babi, Mullah Faizullah Zaman and Militiaman), Rina Fatania (Mariam), Kerena Jagpal (Laila), Jonas Khan (Rasheed), Jonny Khan (Tariq, Wakil and Driver), Noah Manzoor (Zalmai and Wakil’s Wife), Peyvand Sadeghian (Nana, Fariba and Doctor), Tahir Shah (Jalis, Abdul Sharif, Interrogator and Militia Man) and Humera Syed (Young Mariam, Asia and Nurse).

Joining Roxana and Simon on the creative team are: Lighting Designer Matt Haskins, Sound Designer Clive Meldrum, Composer Elaha Soroor, Movement Director Kuldip Singh Barmi, Fight Director Rachid Sabitri, Fight Director Jessica Hrabowsky, Casting Director Helena Palmer and Assistant Director Massi Safa.

Khaled Hosseini’s international best-selling novel is the powerful story of three generations of women discovering strength in unity and finding hope in the unlikeliest of places. Set in 1992 in an Afghanistan ravaged by war, an orphaned Laila is left alone in an increasingly threatening world. Her older neighbour Rasheed is quick to open his home and takes Laila as his second wife.

Rasheed’s first wife Mariam has no choice but to accept her younger, and now pregnant, rival. As the Taliban take over, life for all of them becomes a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear, and the two women find themselves unlikely allies. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, love grows and sustains the human spirit even during the hardest of times.

Playwright Ursula Rani Sarma said: “This play is about the immense strength and endurance of women and how they can survive tremendous suffering to keep those they love alive. It is also about how even in the darkest of times and places, love can grow and sustain the human spirit beyond all pain and hardship. It’s about friendship and loyalty, courage and selflessness, grief and violence. What the play has to say about love, endurance and survival is very much worth listening to for a contemporary audience. There is beauty and strength at the heart of A Thousand Splendid Suns, and I feel so proud to be part of its evolution from novel to stage.”

Listings info
Leeds Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Nottingham Playhouse present
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Quarry Theatre, Leeds Playhouse
28 May-14 June
Press Night: Thu 29 May, 7.30pm
14+
2hrs 30mins
Box office 0113 213 7700
Book online at leedsplayhouse.org.uk

Access Performances
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted: Thu 29 May, 7.30pm; Sat 7 Jun, 2pm
Audio described: Fri 13 Jun, 7.30pm; Sat 14 Jun, 2pm
Captioned: Wed 11 Jun, 7.30pm; Thu 12 Jun, 1.30pm; Fri 13 Jun, 7.30pm; Sat 14 Jun, 2pm
Access productions at Leeds Playhouse are sponsored by Principal and Access Partner Irwin Mitchel