“The Kite Runner” National Touring Company. Photo by Bekah Lynn Photography.
It is a testament to the longevity and power of Khaled Hosseini’s storytelling ability that “The Kite Runner” is still continuing to captivate audiences across the world more than two decades after its initial release. The Kennedy Center stop on this tour is the play’s last, following a limited run on Broadway in 2022 after a transfer from the West End. “The Kite Runner” is based on Hosseini’s 2003 bestselling debut novel of the same name.
Visually and audibly, this production…is immensely beautiful…a much-needed story of violence, loss, love, and hope.
The play, just like the book, follows Amir (Ramzi Khalaf), a young boy living in Kabul with his father (Haythem Noor) and his servants, Ali (Hassan Nazari-Robati) and his son, Hassan (Shahzeb Zahid Hussain). After a life-altering incident in which Amir watches as Hassan is raped by their bully Assef (Wiley Naman Strasser), Amir is forced to face shame and attempt to atone for his inaction for the rest of his life. When the Soviet Union takes control of Afghanistan, Amir and his father flee to San Francisco. Upon finding out he cannot have children with his wife, Soraya (Awesta Zarif), he receives a call from Rahim Khan (Jonathan Shaboo) who asks him to retrieve the recently orphaned son of Hassan, Sohrab (also played by Hussain), from Taliban hands. Following a harrowing fight with Assef, Amir adopts Sohrab in an attempt “to be good again.”
As a coming-of-age story, adapting “The Kite Runner” into a play format is not an easy feat. Playwright Matthew Spangler ensures that the audience is able to understand Amir’s motivations by crowning him as the narrator, which allows for a deeper look into his character. Unfortunately, this development also meant that the play sometimes resorts to relying on Amir’s narration to convey key story developments that they do not have the time to stage. While this fault is understandable given the breadth of Amir’s story, it removes key moments of hope from a heartbreaking story. Most of the major plot points that Spangler had to stage are incredibly depressing: racist attacks, the rape of a child, and the death of a father. When the moments in-between—Amir’s conversations with Rahim Khan or Amir and Soraya nursing Sohrab back to health after his suicide attempt—get lost in the shuffle, the story’s meaning changes. It becomes about the tragedy rather than the atonement. In two and a half hours, sacrifices have to be made, but they still have an impact on how the story lands.
Despite its limited adaptation, Hosseini’s story finds ways to shine through. The cast and direction treats its tragedies with immense care. The audience does not actually see Hassan’s rape, for instance, giving the character grace and avoiding what could be an intense trigger for many watching. As Amir, Khalaf transforms each time he moves from narration to childhood Amir, adopting an entirely new and youthful physicality to become young again. He allows us to see how deeply emotionally affected Amir is by telling this story, but he holds back just enough to create a convincing image of a man who is seeking to atone. His performance is somewhat limited, however, by the significant amount of time he spends with his back towards the audience, often at emotionally pivotal moments for the character. As Hassan and Sohrab, Hussain demonstrates wisdom far beyond his years, fading into the background when necessary and demanding attention when he must.
Visually and audibly, this production of “The Kite Runner” is immensely beautiful. A simple set places the careful lighting at the foreground. Lighting designer Charles Balfour uses various colors to indicate changes in scenery, bathing the stage in green for a party and yellow for Baba’s study. While we do see miniature kites at times, the actual kite competitions are entirely mimed (with actors on stage using devices to create the sound of the wind), allowing the audience to fill the rest of the space with their imagination (something that is quite fitting for a play about childhood and the power of storytelling). Tabla accompaniment by Salar Nader provides emotional grounding during powerful scenes.
This touring production of “The Kite Runner” places the human condition at the forefront, telling a much-needed story of violence, loss, love, and hope. It asks us questions about what it means to be good and what we are willing to do to atone.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.
Advisory: Recommended for ages 17 and up. Contains sexual content, rape, adult language, racial slurs, and gunshot sounds.
“The Kite Runner” runs through June 30, 2024 in the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
