Christy Lefteri’s bestselling novel has been brought to the stage in a production that is both deeply humane and emotionally bruising, with strong central performances from Adam Sina and Farah Saffari.
One refugee’s heart-breaking story of loss, war, trauma and, ultimately, hope unfolded on the Oxford Playhouse stage last night in The Beekeeper of Aleppo, the acclaimed stage adaptation of Christy Lefteri’s international bestseller.
Now playing in Oxford until Saturday, the production follows Nuri and Afra, a couple forced to flee Syria after war destroys the life they once knew. What follows is a long and harrowing journey across borders and through grief, fear and uncertainty, as they search not only for safety but for some way back to one another.
What is The Beekeeper of Aleppo about?
Adapted from Christy Lefteri’s novel by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler, the play follows Nuri, a beekeeper, and his wife Afra, an artist, as they flee Aleppo after war devastates their home and family life. The story traces their dangerous journey through displacement, grief and survival, while asking what remains of love, memory and identity after trauma. The Oxford Playhouse lists it as a 14+ production with a running time of 2 hours 20 minutes including an interval. Oxford Playhouse event page
A story told with tenderness as well as pain
The production is harrowing, as it should be, but it is never reduced to misery alone. What makes it so affecting is its compassion. This is not just a story about war or forced migration in the abstract. It is about two people trying to carry unbearable loss while still finding the strength to keep moving.
Nuri’s narration gives the piece much of its shape, and Adam Sina handles it with sensitivity and restraint. He never pushes too hard, which allows the emotional weight to build gradually and land all the more forcefully. Opposite him, Farah Saffari gives Afra a stillness that is as affecting as anything spoken aloud.
Strong performances carry a deeply human production
The acting across the company is thoughtful and precise, but it is the central relationship that gives the production its force. Sina and Saffari make Nuri and Afra’s bond feel lived-in and real, even when trauma has pushed them into emotional distance. Their scenes together carry the sense of two people trying to recognise each other through grief.
There are also moments of warmth and humour, which matter enormously in a play like this. Small exchanges, especially those involving the Moroccan man, provide flashes of relief without ever undermining the seriousness of the story. Those lighter moments make the darker ones hit even harder.
Simple staging, strong atmosphere
The set remains relatively restrained, but the production uses lighting, music, movement and animation to shift convincingly between countries, memories and states of mind. We are taken from Syria to Greece, from Istanbul to the Home Office, and eventually to England, without the stage ever feeling overloaded.
That economy works in the production’s favour. Rather than distracting from the story, it allows the audience to stay close to the people at its centre.
A difficult watch, but an important one
What lingers most is not simply the scale of what Nuri and Afra endure, but the care with which the production tells it. This is a play about displacement, yes, but also about kindness, memory and the fragility of hope. By the final moments, when the full emotional truth of the couple’s experience comes into focus, the effect is quietly shattering.
For all its pain, The Beekeeper of Aleppo does not leave the audience in despair. It ends with something more complex and more honest than that: the possibility of hope after devastation.
It is a powerful, compassionate piece of theatre, and one that feels all the more urgent because of how human it remains throughout.
Cast at a glance
Nuri: Adam Sina
Afra: Farah Saffari
Mustafa / Moroccan Man: Joseph Long
Nadim / Fotakis / Ali: Aram Mardourian
Dr Faruk / Dahab / Immigration Officer: Alia Lahlou
Angeliki / Lucy Fisher: Princess Khumalo
Mohammed / Sami: Dona Atallah
At a glance
Show: The Beekeeper of Aleppo
Venue: Oxford Playhouse
Final Oxford performance: Saturday 9 May
Running time: 2hrs 20mins
Age guidance: 14+
Content warning: Themes of war, violence, loss of a child, forced migration, sexual abuse and mental illness, plus flashing lights, haze and sudden loud noises
Tickets: From £15
FAQs
How long is The Beekeeper of Aleppo?
The Oxford Playhouse lists the running time as 2 hours 20 minutes, including an interval.
What age is the play suitable for?
The production has an age guidance of 14+.
When does it finish its Oxford run?
The show runs at Oxford Playhouse until Saturday 9 May.
Who adapted the novel for the stage?
The play is adapted by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler from Christy Lefteri’s bestselling novel.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo runs at Oxford Playhouse until Saturday 9 May. To book tickets, contact the box office on 01865 305305 or visit oxfordplayhouse.com.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo 2026 tour dates
| Dates | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 7 – Saturday 28 February 2026 | Nottingham Playhouse | Nottingham |
| Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 March 2026 | Aylesbury Theatre | Aylesbury |
| Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 March 2026 | Richmond Theatre | Richmond |
| Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March 2026 | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre | Guildford |
| Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 March 2026 | Salisbury Playhouse | Salisbury |
| Tuesday 31 March – Saturday 4 April 2026 | Theatre Royal Bath | Bath |
| Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 April 2026 | Malvern Theatre | Malvern |
| Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 April 2026 | Storyhouse | Chester |
| Tuesday 28 April – Saturday 2 May 2026 | Gaiety Theatre | Dublin |
| Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 May 2026 | Oxford Playhouse | Oxford |
| Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 May 2026 | New Theatre | Peterborough |
| Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 May 2026 | Theatre Severn | Shrewsbury |
| Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 May 2026 | Grand Theatre | Blackpool |
| Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 June 2026 | Everyman Theatre | Cheltenham |
| Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 June 2026 | Theatre Royal | Brighton |
