"A Thousand Splendid Suns" at ACT

ACT photo by Kevin Berne

Adapting a novel into a play is tricky business, because a novel contains so much more than can fit into a play of a length people will actually sit through. I have not read the novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns," but I gather it contains much more story and more characters than does the play currently running at ACT's Geary Theatre, adapted for the stage by Ursula Rani Sarma on commission by ACT.

I will say that it works as a play, although I found some of it a bit abrupt, as if the playwright had lifted scenes out of a larger structure that didn't quite fit together. But ultimately it works reasonably well.

The Play

The story focuses on the lives of two women forced together by circumstances beyond their control in the chaos that is modern Afghanistan. Starting with the civil war that followed the withdrawal of Soviet forces in 1989, Kabul begins a descent from an enlightened, modern city into a war zone and a zone of strict religious patriarchy under the Taliban. It is through that arc that we follow young Laila (Nadine Malouf) and the older Mariam (Kate Rigg), both of whom end up married to the difficult Rasheed (Haysam Kadri).

Initially, Mariam resents and rejects the addition of Laila to the family, but she has no choice in the matter. This is truly a man's world. And teenaged Laila, newly orphaned by the war, rescued by Rasheed, has no options either. So the women are forced together, and eventually find themselves united in their efforts to survive life ruled by both their tempestuous husband and the ever-stricter rules of the ruling Taliban.

The narrative is intense, and frankly, unpleasant (as it's meant to be). My guess is that the narrative fullness of a novel would make this a more rounded story. Even at two-and-a-half hours, the play feels like it's been condensed, that there is too much story crammed into the available time, so it all feels kind of inevitable. There's really no room for a pleasant digression or a character who brings some relief for more than a moment. I'm sure life in Kabul is pretty unrelenting, especially for women in such a situation. But that doesn't mean the play has to be, too.

The Production

Once again, ACT shows what a lovely show you can put on with a big budget. The play is beautiful, visually stunning (just look at the production photos for a sample), and the music and soundscape produced by David Coulter is amazing and immersive. The costumes and the minimal set pieces allow the backdrop of Afghanistan to shine through. In that sense, the production is striking and effective in almost every way.

Unfortunately, particularly early on, the acting isn't quite so smooth. Some of the dialogue comes across as stilted and unnatural, particularly from Laila. I'd have to see it again to tell whether my issue was with the writing or the acting (or possibly some of each). But I just found it hard to get into the characters for at least the first half hour or so. Later I just kind of settled in and let it flow over me. Either the sense of awkwardness passed, or perhaps the mix of characters changed, but I definitely felt whole opening scene felt wrong.

There is some really terrific acting, however. Watching the women, in particular, aging and becoming more oppressed and downtrodden is quite impressive. A number of the supporting characters, particularly those played by Barzin Akhavan, are quite effective, but they are really small roles.

Bottom Line

I'm sort of torn about this play. As an example of stagecraft, it's stunning. The acting is good and sometimes terrific. As a piece of writing, it's just OK, and probably could use some more work. As a story that personalizes the larger issues of war and religion and patriarchy, it seems a bit blunt, perhaps because in San Francisco it feels like preaching to the choir. But it's not often we get to see such a lush, immersive production, so I have to say it's worth seeing the show. I wish I could give it a more ringing endorsement than that, but I just find the story doesn't live up to the standard of the production.