Theatre review: A Thousand Splendid Suns at Nottingham Playhouse

I read Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousan Splendid Suns not long after it was published in 2007 following his successful novel The Kite Runner. With the latter bestseller what Hosseini describes as a father-son story, he wanted his next to be a mother-daughter story, which is was A Thousand Splendid Suns is. For those who have read the book it may seem like a curious choice to put on stage - and a challenging one.  Despite this being condensed and some minor plot changes it works well, without losing its central themes, emotions or messages.

The play is set in Kabul with a basic set used mainly as a family home and on occasion other locations in Kabul with the use of light and extra props. There is a central cast of three, with six others taking on various roles. These characters take us through a period of Afghan history from the ousting of the Soviets to the Taliban moving from control of the countryside to cities like Kabul and all that that brought with it.

Mariam (Rina Fatania), born out of rape in rural Herat in 1959, is forever shamed about her birth. Her father distances himself from her and her mother commits suicide. Her mother’s death leads her father to marry her to Rasheed (Jonas Khan), a widowed shoemaker 35 years her senior living in Kabul. She had no choice but to marry him, but after seven miscarriages and no sign of a son their marriage sours and violence and contempt fill their home.

Laila (Karena Jagpal), born in 1978 is a young neighbour who is close to her teacher father and lives a relatively privileged life which includes an education. Her parents die in the Afghan-Soviet war, and when she is injured she is taken in by Rasheed and a reluctant Mariam. Polygamy is not unusual in Afghan society and in time Rasheed decides to ask the fifteen-year old Laila to marry him. He sells the idea as it being a way for her to be protected and, with few other choices, she agrees.

What ensues is an uneasy family dynamic of the older first wife, young second wife, a husband who believes in his superiority and who is increasingly violent to the women in his life. The birth of a daughter doesn’t help things but Mariam and Laila grow closer, first from necessity and then from genuine affection and comradery. As their world grows darker and smaller the Taliban have begun to move out of their mountain and countryside strongholds and take the nation’s cities. 

Taliban proclamations begin to deny many things from the population with the harshest changes for women, in the guise of protection but as a means of control. Violence or death are consequences for leaving the house alone, reading, singing, dancing. Woman and girls can no longer hold jobs or attend school. The Taliban intend to keep them at home and ignorant.  This suits Rasheed, but does not sit well with Mariam, Laila or her daughter Aziza (Humera Syed).

Over thirty years, and three generations of women, we see a fight for freedom and a little happiness as the characters literally risk life and limb. As the audience watch this unfold, the horrifying thought must have crossed everyone’s mind that this did, does and still continues to happen for who knows how long.  A powerful cast of nine, a beautiful but functional set and such mood changes with the use of light and music you can’t walk away and not feel moved and disturbed about women’s lives in so many communities in the 21st century.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is at Nottingham Playhouse from Tue 13 - Sat 24 May 2025

nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk