NEWS: Casting announced for The Nottingham Playhouse run and national tour of the world premiere of The Beekeeper of Aleppo
23 December 2022
Today, Nottingham Playhouse, in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and UK Productions Ltd, announce the full cast of the world premiere of Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler’s stage adapation of Christy Lefteri’s gripping best selling novel, The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Reuniting the team that produced the international stage sensation The Kite Runner, the production opens at Nottingham Playhouse on 3 February before heading to Liverpool Playhouse and then a national tour in the Spring and early Summer.
Directed by Olivier Award winning Miranda Cromwell (Death of a Salesman – Young Vic, Piccadilly Theatre and Broadway), the production will feature Alfred Clay (The Winters Tale, The Comedy of Errors – RSC) as Nuri, Roxy Faridany (This Is Going To Hurt – BBC, Magic Goes Wrong – West End) as Afra, Joseph Long (Spiderman Far From Home – Marvel Studios, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – tour & West End) as Mustafa, Aram Mardourian (The Borrowers – Polka Theatre, The Night Of The Iguana – Ustinov Studio) as Nadim, Fotakis, Ali and other parts , Daphne Kouma (Dirty Dancing – Secret Cinema, Offside – Pleasance Courtyard) as immigration officer, Dr Faruk, Dahab and other parts, Nadia Williams (The Darkest Part of The Night – Kiln Theatre, The Meaning of Zong – Bristol Old Vic) as Angeliki, Lucy Fisher and other parts, Elham Mahyoub (The Visit – National Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Lazarus Theatre) as Mohammed and Sami and Fanos Xenofós (Margot, The Most Famous Ballerina In The World – King’s Head Theate, Don Quixote of Algiers – White Bear Theatre) – and Lily Demir (The Secret Love Life of Ophelia – Greenwich Theatre, Empty – Soho Theatre) – as swings.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo tells the story of Nuri, a beekeeper; and his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo – until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. On their terrifying journey, they must face the pain of their own unbearable loss alongside incredible danger. Above all, they must journey to find each other again.
This compassionate and beautiful play is a story of connection – between friends, families and strangers.
The creative team comprisesSet and Costume Designer Ruby Pugh, Lighting Designer Ben Ormerod, Sound Designer Tingying Dong, Film Designer Ravi Deepres, Composer Elaha Soroor, , Casting Director Christopher Worrall, Voice and Dialect Coach Khaled Abunaama, Cultural Consultant Nesrin Alrefaai, Dramatherapist Nikki Disney, Associate Director Nadia Emam, Associate Film Designer Luke Unsworth and Video Programmer Edward Freeman..
The Beekeeper of Aleppo premieres at Nottingham Playhouse from 3 to 25 February, and is followed by a run at Liverpool Playhouse from 1 to 11 March, and then a national tour that takes in Salisbury Playhouse (21 to 25 March), New Theatre Cardiff, (28 March to 1 April), Theatre Severn Shrewsbury (4 to 8 April), Gaiety Theatre Dublin (11 to 15 April), The Lowry Salford (18 to 22 April), Theatre Royal Glasgow (25 to 29 April), Richmond Theatre London (2 to 6 May), Theatre Royal Norwich (9 to 13 May), Cambridge Arts Theatre (16 – 20 May), Belgrade Theatre Coventry (23 to 27 May), Leeds Playouse (31 May to 3 June), Theatre Royal Newcastle Upon Tyne (6 to 10 June), Birmingham Rep (13 to 17 June), Theatre Royal Plymouth (20 to 24 June) and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford (27 June to 1 July).
Christy Lefteri’s novel was the Winner of the Aspen Words Award, Runner up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and one of The Times top three bestselling books of 2020.