The Kite Runner

I doubt there will be a mad dash to book for this one, unless I am greatly mistaken. Yet, this does sound pretty interesting and I hope I'll make it in at some point as, even though they are right at the back of the theatre, there are so pretty cheap seats. Definitely can't wait to here some views on this.

^ I love your aviator btw.

agree it will be a hard sell. But being a avid theatre fan, I will see this.

It's a harrowing story so not a light piece of theatre, I'm guessing.

Did anyone see it on tour?

Not as yet. Due to in a couple of weeks. Seems very much under the radar

If in doubt theatremonkey it out

www.theatremonkey.com/dayseatfinder.htm

Front row £22.50

I was at yesterday's matinee and with no particular expectations, really enjoyed this.  I've not read the novel (by Khaled Hosseini) and knew nothing of the story before seeing the play.  My friend managed to get us front-row day seats as mentioned above for £22.50 (warning: if you are the extreme end of the front row then your view will be a bit obscured by a musician who sits at the front of stage left for act 1 and then swaps to stage right for act 2).

The play covers several decades of the life of Amir, who lives with his comfortably wealthy father ("Baba") in Afghanistan.  Completing their household is their servant Ali and his son, Hassan. Amir has a close childhood friendship with Hassan who is a similar age, but who is of Hazara rather than Pashtun background. 

Amir is a somewhat timid poetry-loving boy who is acutely conscious of not meeting his father's expectations. He eventually manages to rise in his Baba's estimation when, aided by Hassan, he takes part in the annual kite running tournament.

We follow the events in Afghanistan and eventually America where Amir and his father flee following the Soviet-Afghan war.  There's a fair amount of history woven lightly throughout which I found fascinating.  I've subsequently learnt that, although the story is fictional, Khaled Hosseini grew up in Afghanistan and similarly ended up in America following the Soviet invasion.

The plot is largely advanced by Amir (Ben Turner) who, as an adult, narrates the story between smoothly and regularly slipping into his childhood persona throughout act 1 (the same format continues for act 2 when he acts scenes as an adult).

This narration forms the central spine of the play off which numerous scenes depicting the events themselves take place.  The cast of about a dozen were excellent and it was fantastic to see a diverse group of actors (and wider than typical diversity in the audience).  Ben Turner is quietly charismatic and I found his story-telling captivating.  There was a reasonable amount of music, including from the tabla player that supported the atmosphere.  A couple of times several actors swung around some intriguing wooden instruments that produced howling-wind/kite noises.

For me, one dodgy moment was the brief inclusion of Korean (I think) shopkeeper played by one of the female cast.  That scene did illustrate culture-shock for the family who'd recently arrived in America, but it felt a bit of a stereotype - clumsy and unnecessary.  Oh yes, also watch out for the deeply dodgy beard that makes an appearance during act 2!

If I'm honest, if I'd read up on this (particularly the narration format and adults portraying children) then I'd probably have given it a miss.  I'm SO pleased that I didn't - a moving and engrossing experience.

I saw this yesterday and can't really add to TheatreDust's beautifully observed review, except to say that I found it totally compelling. Like TD, I hadn't read the book/seen the film and had only the vaguest notion of the story, but it is told simply, starkly and with great sensitivity by a strong cast. I can feel tears pricking just remembering it now. Powerful stuff. See it if you can.

Ouch: www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/nice-show-shame-ticket-prices-kite-runner-wyndhams-review/

Cavendish seems to not know that, like Half a Sixpence, the prices are that high, so when they are slashed for the Half Price Booth and offers, the producers can still make "regular" money. How do critics still not know this?

Trouble is, unrealistically high initial prices also make it harder for more knowledgeable people to book, as we still need to hunt out/await deals or day seats. I'd have booked for this by now, based on pre-PN word-of-mouth here, but not at those prices.

I've just checked a random date and the prices don't really seem like they're out-of-the-ordinarily high. High, sure, but basically equivalent to any play in the Wyndham's. Raise awareness of awful ticket prices if you want, critics, but raise it for ALL shows otherwise it seems like you're picking on just one particular play unfairly. We regulars can see that it's not overpriced in comparison to its peers, but people who only go to the theatre once in a while and trust reviewers are going to read that review (especially that final line!) and think "well if this show is overpriced, I'll see something else instead". And they'll congratulate themselves for not being ripped off by this one play, not realising they've basically paid exactly the same if not more for the show they have chosen...

It's got the death sentence of 3 star reviews

Except from mark shenton

Who gives 5 stars so often that the ratings are rendered meaningless

And for such a cheaply staged regional show

With pseudo pan accents

The ticket prices are outrageous

I've stopped reading Mark Shenton and a load has lifted from my life.