Overview

Nuri is a beekeeper; 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. Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler's adaptation of Christy Lefteri's bestselling novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo was first seen at Nottingham Playhouse and on tour in 2023, and is revived in 2026. 'Wonderful... had me entranced from the get-go... a fascinating study of grief, migration and dislocation... brilliantly written... a profoundly moving triumph' — Theatre & Tonic 'Beautifully and unapologetically human, this moving and powerful play will stay on your mind long after you leave the theatre' — All That Dazzles 'Alrefaai and Spangler's adaptation is sparklingly assured... a cogent portrait of psychological dislocation... an impressive show that neither idealises its protagonists nor relies on cheap political point-scoring' — Telegraph

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9781839045622

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Reviews

'Wonderful... had me entranced from the get-go... a fascinating study of grief, migration and dislocation... brilliantly written... a profoundly moving triumph' * Theatre & Tonic * 'Beautifully and unapologetically human, this moving and powerful play will stay on your mind long after you leave the theatre' * All That Dazzles * 'Alrefaai and Spangler's adaptation is sparklingly assured... a cogent portrait of psychological dislocation... an impressive show that neither idealises its protagonists nor relies on cheap political point-scoring' * Telegraph *

Author Information

Brought up in London, Christy Lefteri is the child of Cypriot refugees. She holds a PhD in creative writing from Brunel University, where she was a lecturer for many years. She is the author of Songbirds and the international bestseller The Beekeeper of Aleppo, which won the Aspen Words Literary Prize and was the runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her first novel, A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible, was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Nesrin Alrefaai is an academic and playwright. Her plays include an adaptation (with Matthew Spangler) of Christy Lefteri's novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo (Nottingham Playhouse, 2023, and tour; revived in 2026). She is a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and Arabic Managing Editor at the Middle East Centre (MEC) at the London School of Economics (LSE). She holds a Doctorate degree in Drama and Theatre Education from the University of Warwick, UK. Her research interests are language, arts, and politics in the Middle East with a special focus on Syria. Matthew Spangler is a playwright and professor of performance studies at San José State University, California. His plays include adaptations of Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner (Nottingham Playhouse, 2012; Broadway, 2022) and of Christy Lefteri's novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo, adapted with Nesrin Alrefaai (Nottingham Playhouse, 2023, and tour; revived in 2026).

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