FOLLOWING an outstanding West End Run, The Kite Runner – an unforgettable theatrical tour de force – comes to Mayflower Theatre on Tuesday.

Based on Khaled Hosseini’s international bestselling novel, this haunting tale of friendship which spans cultures and continents follows one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption.

Afghanistan is a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart.

It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament.

But neither Hassan nor Amir can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever.

Hosseini was working as a doctor in California when he wrote The Kite Runner, never imagining that after its publication in 2003 it would go on to sell more than 20 million copies.

Coming out after the 9/11 attacks, the story resonated with readers who weren't necessarily familiar with Afghanistan and the Taliban before the Twin Towers fell.

Director, Giles Croft, thinks it's important to tell a story about Muslim culture with Muslim characters that aren't demonised. “They might be conflicted and some are better than others, but fundamentally it's a human story and any story about forgiveness and redemption is worth telling whenever and wherever it's set.

“It's something we need to be reminded of and it's especially important to be reminded of what's happening in Afghanistan, and to portray it not simply as a war-torn nation but as a place with a complex, interesting history and a wonderful culture.”

American playwright, Matthew Spangler, did his adaptation before the film came out, using Hosseini's concept of Amir as the first-person narrator and sticking closely to the story rather than using plot diversions added for the movie.

“They did a fine job with the film,” he says. “But to me the heart of The Kite Runner is the narration – hearing the main character tell you his story and why these events are so significant.”

The playwright spent nine months on research. Matthew and Khaled both live in the San Francisco Bay area so they met to discuss the project. Khaled's father-in-law, who was also originally from Afghanistan and moved to America, proved invaluable. “I'd get ideas from the books I was reading,” adds Matthew. “Then I'd go over to his house, we'd sit together and I'd bounce my ideas off him. That was so valuable because I'd get another take on things and he'd point me towards other sources.”

Jo Ben Ayed, who played Hassan on tour last year and is reprising the role for the 2018 dates, underlines his co-star's view.

“It's so relevant with everything that's going on in the world,” says the young actor. “It shows that if we forget our past then history will repeat itself. It provides context for the Taliban era, asking 'What lead up to it?' and 'What were the causes for it?' Things are still brimming, with everyone kind of on the edge in the world, so it's important to get the themes of this story across – that we're all the same and we shouldn't be fighting.”