Review: THE KITE RUNNER at Kennedy Center

In a time and age where it seems that our dichotomous natures are at the core of all interaction, there is one thing that remains true: we are all human, faced with difficult choices and sometimes, we make the wrong choices. It is up to us whether we admit to our faults and ask for forgiveness, or stay steadfast in our denial and push forward through life with guilt. Based on Khaled Hosseini’s beloved, international best-selling novel and adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler, The Kite Runner asks us what it means to confront your past and find forgiveness as it follows one man’s narration of his life, taking place amid Afghanistan’s tumultuous history through the 1960s to 2001. 

I arrived at the Kennedy Center completely ignorant and uneducated about The Kite Runner novel or any of its contents. As I drove back home, I truly was in complete awe of the experience I had within the Eisenhower Theater. The Kite Runner is a masterclass in storytelling, gripping the audience with every single word. A perfect balance of pacing, humor, and tragedy, you do not feel the show’s length at any moment. In the rare instance where the second act is longer than the first, such as with this production, you run the risk of the audience getting antsy. This script never lends itself to allowing the audience to turn away or fidget, being absolutely hooked into every moment. In terms of how strong the adaptation itself was, I’m afraid I cannot speak to it as I have never read the novel. Though, this has absolutely put it on my immediate list to buy, so I can only imagine how much more to this story there could be from an already heavily packed script.

With such a well-written, yet difficult script to pull off, a passionate, professional ensemble cast is a must-have, and this tour found exactly that. Every single actor in this ensemble had brilliant moments of excellent choices, though a few stood out to me. Haythem Noor’s (Baba) subtle and deliberate choices as Baba made every single moment with him feel so real. Jonathan Shaboo (Rahim Khan) provided a perfect foil to Noor’s Baba, wanting and willing to give into Amir’s own wishes and desires, against his father. Wiley Naman Strasser (Assef) was properly terrifying and cruel, exactly what was needed as one of the antagonists of the story. It should not go unnoticed how difficult those roles can be on an actor, and Strasser did a fantastic job. 

Shahzeb Zahid Hussain (Hassan) was just absolutely brilliant in this role. He stole everyone’s hearts the second he came on stage, and with every new situation, broke them all one by one. In every way, you wanted what was best for him, admiring his strength and resilience, and yet, yearned for him to step down and walk away for the sake of his own safety. Hussain balanced this role effortlessly.

Ramzi Khalaf (Amir) has me at a loss for words, even twenty-four hours later. He does not leave the stage for a singular moment, and at no point did I ever feel he misstepped. An encapsulating storyteller, I clung to his every word, every breath, every emotion. For an incredibly human and flawed protagonist, he made it easy to root for his redemption. Khalaf’s code-switching between his narration as Amir when he is an adult to when Amir is twelve, living in Afghanistan, was effortless. I cannot sing Khalaf’s praises high enough - I will be looking forward to seeing what he does next.

While the actors truly took the forefront of this production, the simplicity and detailed production design cannot go unnoticed. Charles Balfour (Lighting Designer), William Simpson (Projection Designer), and Barney George (Scenic & Costume Designer), in tandem, made one of the most beautiful productions I truly have ever seen. While spectacle can be nice, for a show like The Kite Runner, it’s important to keep the storytelling aspect alive throughout all areas. From the fence that strategically looked like a skyline to the tan rug that changed design through the projections, I was in awe every time the story took us to a different place. It made this production all the more special and intimate.

The Kite Runner has lingered with me into today, and what I believe will be a very long time after. While escapism is at the forefront of an audience’s mind when entering the theater, it’s important to see art that reminds us that we are all flawed. More importantly, we need a reminder that we can still be good again.

The Kite Runner runs until June 30th at the Eisenhower Theatre at the Kennedy Center. Recommended for age 13 and up. This production includes some content of a sensitive and mature nature and incorporates the sounds of gunshots. Trigger warnings include: child abuse, sexual assault, rape, death.

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