Theatre News

The Kite Runner to get West End premiere

Giles Croft returns to direct the production at Wyndham’s Theatre

Ben Hewis

London London's West End

02 September 2016

Ben Turner and the cast of the original production of The Kite Runner — Ben Turner and the cast of the original production of *The Kite Runner*

A stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's award-winning novel, The Kite Runner will receive its West End premiere in December.

Adapted by Matthew Spangler, the stage production premiered at San Francisco in 2009 before receiving its European premiere in 2013, in a co-production between Nottingham Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman. The production subsequently toured the UK and was nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production.

Set in Afghanistan, Hosseini's novel – which was also adapted for the big screen in 2007 – tells the story of a divided country on the verge of war. Two childhood friends are excited about a kite flying tournament until a terrible incident changes their lives forever.

Talking about his story, Hosseini said: "The Kite Runner is a story that appeals to very powerful, universal human emotions, it transcends its cultural setting, its geographic parameters, and speaks about universal human experiences."

Giles Croft returns to direct a cast led by Ben Turner (Casualty) who reprises his performance from the UK tour.

Turner said: "There’s something almost Shakespearian about this story, the things it deals with are so big. It’s betrayal, revenge, redemption."

"On stage, the story can’t help but suck an audience in. You can hear a pin drop and weeping in the audience. People are obviously deeply affected by it."