Liverpool Playhouse to stage world premiere adaptation of The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Following the hugely successful stage adaptation of The Kite Runner, Liverpool Playhouse is reuniting with Nottingham Playhouse and UK Productions Ltd to stage Christy Lefteri’s international bestseller The Beekeeper of Aleppo at the Liverpool Playhouse from Wednesday 1 to Saturday 11 March.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo sheds light on the plight of refugees, drawing a poetic metaphor on the travels of refugees and the nature of beekeeping to convey that where flowers bloom, there’s always life and hope.

Adapted by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler (who also adapted The Kite Runner), this world premiere production is directed by Olivier Award winner Miranda Cromwell (Death of a Salesman, Broadway).

Liverpool Playhouse — Credit: Manuel Harlan

In this production, emerging actor Alfred Clay from The Comedy of Errors (RSC) plays Nuri, a beekeeper whose wife, the artist Afra, is played by Roxy Faridany from This Is Going To Hurt (BBC). Joseph Long from Spiderman Far From Home (Marvel Studios) plays Mustafa and Nadia Williams from The Darkest Part of The Night (Kiln Theatre) plays Angeliki. The cast also features Aram Mardourian (The Borrowers, Polka Theatre) as Nadim, Fotakis and Ali; Daphne Kouma (Offside, Pleasance Courtyard) as Dr Faruk, Dahab and Elham Mahyoub (The Visit, National Theatre) as Mohammed and Sami; Fanos Xenofós (Margot, The World’s Most Famous Ballerina, King’s Head Theatre) and Lily Demir (Empty, Soho Theatre).

Suba Das, Creative Director of Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse said:

“We’re proud to be co-producing the world premiere of the stage adaptation of the bestselling novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo, made with Nottingham Playhouse who we last worked with on the sensational The Kite Runner. This is a tearjerking, urgent story of a Syrian family fleeing war to make a new life here. Liverpool has long since been a city that welcomes and stands up for refugees, outsiders and the forgotten; and we hope you’ll join us to make that stand again.”

Moving, powerful and compassionate, the production tells an unforgettable story of survival for the bravest of souls, bringing life and hope to Liverpool from Wednesday 1 to Saturday 11 March before embarking on a national tour.