Christy Lefteri's novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo was first released more than a decade ago but its universal themes and honest depiction of life through the eyes of refugees have never seemed so relevant.
Nuri (played by Adam Sina) has lived in Aleppo, Syria, his entire life. With his wife Afra (Farah Safari), they enjoy eating pistachio ice cream with friends, spending time playing with their young son and working - in Nuri's case, as a beekeeper.
But set mostly around the time of the escalation of the country's civil war in 2015, the place he had always called home no longer feels safe. After losing their beloved Sami to a bomb, the couple resolve to leave home for Europe, England specifically.
This staging, directed by Anthony Almeida, is faithful to the overall spirit of Lefteri's novel and depicts the harsh reality of being a displaced person. Not least, travelling with Afra, who has been left without vision but, more significantly, without purpose since losing Sami.
There are strong, emotional portrayals within the multi-rolling company here. Joseph Long plays Nuri's cousin and fellow beekeeper, Mustafa, who emails him from England throughout his treacherous journey, as well as a Moroccan man at the asylum hotel who has a penchant for using the word “geezer” in an attempt to culturally assimilate to UK life.
For all its positives, one challenge that the Nottingham Playhouse production struggles to overcome is comparisons to Lefteri's source material. The novel is so compelling that Nuri's story jumps off the page and walks you through it as if you are there with him; on the small boat to Leros, sleeping rough in Athens, even being grilled - and humiliated - by immigration control in Britain.
But this is undoubtedly a faithful adaptation, making good use of Ruby Pugh's dynamic set design. Nuri and Afra's journey through Europe is one that must be told and feels so poignant at a time when more and more people are being forced to flee from their homes, seeking refuge and kindness, in the face of violence and aggression, both domestically and from the skies.
Nuri and Afra, and the cast of characters they come across along the way, are by no means unique but this is their story nevertheless. The staging is gripping but could perhaps benefit from a bigger cast to truly capture the scale of the crisis. Fans of the novel will certainly not be disappointed.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo plays at Richmond Theatre until 14 March, before continuing its national run. Ticket information can be found here.
Review: Tom Ambrose