The Beekeeper Of Aleppo Review: a forgiving take on the refugee experience
- Jack Davey
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
12 February 2026 I 19:00 I Nottingham Playhouse
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
Taken from Christy Lefteri's award-winning novel, The Beekeeper Of Aleppo returns to Nottingham Playhouse after a promising premiere in 2023, now touring the UK in 2026. In an era of the United Kingdom where migration policies are highly politicised and weaponised, these stories are all the more necessary. Using theatre as a lens to view off-stage experiences, this stage adaptation humanises Syrian refugee stories beyond stereotypes and statistics.
Inspired by Lefteri's volunteer work at an Athens UNICEF-supported refugee centre, the plot fictionalises Nuri, a beekeeper, and his wife Afra. They exist peacefully and prosperously in Aleppo, until the Syrian civil war ravages everything they care for. On a journey of forced migration, Nuri's family must navigate the traumas of asylum-seeking, in all of its dangers and loss. In the bleakest of times however, pain can bring humans closer than ever.
Anthony Almeida's direction is culturally invested in Syrian heritage, underscored with Middle-Eastern music (composed by Elaha Soroor) and admiration for Aleppo's nature-driven lifestyle. Complimented by Ben Ormerod's lighting designs, whose warm and comforting tones attach a kind nostalgia to pre-war Syria, in contrast to the cold austerity of UK Home Office, which is discomforting and cruel.
Projections designed by Zsolt Balogh are mapped to blank walls, used to characterise a multitude of locations, between run-down apartments and more abstract patterns, that lose their clarity as a symbol of Nuri's overwhelmed mind. Real documentary footage of Syrian communities is briefly featured, honouring the country's history and increasing audience empathy to recognise its reality.
As the title character, Adam Sina's Nuri is onstage almost the entire performance, a highly commendable stamina that echoes Nuri's endurance. Sina brings a quiet and nurturing strength to Nuri, often breaking the fourth wall in which audiences easily connect with his sensitivity.
Married to Afra, her psychologically induced blindness leads to great heartbreak, as Farah Saffari leads with a gentle, assured movement guided by physical touch. Her delivery in the play's final scenes is immensely poetic and rich in compassion, a moment that will stick with me for many years to come.
The ensemble to The Beekeeper Of Aleppo display some terrific accent and physicality work, creating multi-rolled characters through different countries and attitudes. Joseph Long's Moroccan Man is a highlight, welcoming a satirical humour parading across the stage with endless mugs of tea and using "geezer" every sentence. There is a sadness attached, expected to adopt British customs over his own heritage. And yet it stands a powerful reversal, seeing Brits stereotyped rather than those our country places on refugees.
The importance of this revival is its delicate and artistic understanding of the material, not to overly theatricalise the narrative. Ruby Pugh's set is remarkably designed, the outer walls translucent as you see the shadows of performers as they enter/exit scenes. There is a lack of permanency associated with this setting, reminding audiences of Nuri and Afra's constant displacement and absence of home.
Locations and dramatic styles, across the realist and the surreal, frequently jump in a non-linear story. The structure can feel slightly disordered, though it remains testament to the unsteady journey of asylum seeking. Enlightening and well-paced, The Beekeeper Of Aleppo is a forgiving take on the refugee experience. With writing by Nesrin Alrefaai Matthew Spangler, this production is absolutely a play for our times, and the current political landscape requires these voices to be heard.
Nottingham Playhouse information and tickets below, including details on multi-faith prayer spaces and self care guides: https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/the-beekeeper-of-aleppo/
UK Tour Information: https://www.ukproductions.co.uk/theatre-productions/the-beekeeper-of-aleppo/
