With the current debates about Tory party’s immigration system, including the Rwanda deportation scheme, the Taliban take over in Afghanistan or breakdown of the states in Syria or Libya and displacement of citizens after Ukraine war - the topic of forced migration or refugees has become more obvious for day to day discussions. The refugees coming from Syria, Afghanistan or Libya still face rejection or discrimination in Britain, while citizens of Ukraine have found homes at kind households of Britain. This triggered the whole west vs the Middle East debate, where the difference in treatments begged questions of latent but widely existing racism. But refugees, including the Ugandan Asians expelled by Idi Amin, who were granted a home as subjects in Britain have never let the country down in its 50 years of history. From tribute to the nation that protected them to enriching its treasury with wealth, the refugees and immigrants have given it all to build today’s Britain. In fact the Prime Minister of Britain is a son of an Indian immigrant, who left Kenya and Tanganyika and settled in Britain in search of a better life.
The Boy with Two Hearts, playing in the National Theatre (Dorfman theatre) till 12 November is a tribute by an Afghan family to their long journey fleeing from Afghanistan, against all types of odds to the UK, in search of a safer and secured life and cutting edge treatment by NHS that granted their oldest son a second life, before he finally passed away.
The journey was indeed horrifying. From Afghanistan to Russia to Austria to Germany to Calais and finally to the UK, the family of 5, were cooped up in car boots to compressed chambers in trucks, hid in freezing apartments, the sinister people smugglers taking advantage of the desperation in the refugees trying to escape fate, all were very real and relived on the stage beautifully enacted and articulated by the cast.
Adaptation from Hamid and Hessam Amiri’s book, the story is largely about their brother Hussein, who despite a heart condition holds up through all sorts of trauma, to arrive in Britain with his two younger brothers and parents for shelter and an operation to save his heart. The family’s happiness, fear and sorrows are wonderfully evoked on the stage by Afghan singer Elaha Soroor.
Directed by Amit Sharma and adapted for the stage by Phil Porter, the play is based on the book of the same name by Hamed andHessam Amiri. Drawing on extraordinary real-life experiences, it is a powerful story of hope, courage, and humanity – and a heartfelt tribute to the NHS.
The cast is Shamail Ali, Houda Echouafni, Dana Haqjoo, Farshid Rokey, Ahmad Sakhiand Lisa Zahra, performing alongside the award-winning Afghan vocalist and composer,Elaha Soroor.
Set and costume designer is Hayley Grindle, lighting designer is Amy Mae, sound designer and co-composer is Tic Ashfield, movement director is Jess Williams and Hayley Egan is video designer. Casting is by Sarah Hughes CDG and associate director is Sepy Baghaei.
The production with the set design and surtitles have been easy on the eye, to grasp, enticing and thought provoking, but while the play depicts the journey in a refugee’s life, with disappointments and small glimpse of joys, it is largely a tribute to a successful family who endured many hardships but eventually reached their final destination. But this unfortunately is not the case with most refugees from Afghanistan or Syria, who die in the freezing English Channel or waiting in camps near Calais. While the play does refer to all lives lost, it loses out on the ability to make this as a source of activism, a voice of support to those suffering the same, state’s constant failures and a guidance to the current government to do the right thing.
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Hamed and Hessam Amiri said: “When this production was first staged at Wales Millennium Centre, it was emotional to see our family's journey come to life on stage and to relive those many precious moments we had along the way. We were amazed by the reaction from audiences and critics as they lived those moments with us, and are so excited to be reaching an even wider audience as the play comes to the NT.
We can't wait to share our story again with as many as people as possible. Our hope is to simply give the audience a chance to see our family’s journey through a different lens, and the human experiences behind the word refugee.”
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