This month, catch the world premiere of the stage adaptation of The Boy With Two Hearts at Wales Millennium Centre. It’s the extraordinary true story of a family’s journey from Afghanistan to Wales. And it will be accompanied by a new communal virtual reality experience.
You may have already heard of The Boy With Two Hearts, as it’s featured on BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week. But if you’re not already acquainted with the story, it follows the Amiri family and their incredible journey to the UK. It’s written by Hamed Amiri, whose brother Hussein’s heart condition made things all the more critical. The Amiri family are living in Cardiff and are closely involved in this stage production, adapted by Phil Porter.
The Boy With Two Hearts on stage
Herat, Afghanistan, 2000. A young mother makes a speech demanding freedom for Afghan women, angering local Taliban leaders who issue a warrant for her execution. With no choice but to run, the Amiri family embark on a long and terrifying journey out of Afghanistan and across Europe.
Thrown into an unfamiliar world of fake passports and untrustworthy handlers, the Amiris must learn how to live with nothing and avoid capture at all costs. With their eldest son Hussein’s life-threatening heart condition growing steadily worse, the UK is their goal.
Will they beat the odds and reach the UK in time for Hussein to receive the surgery he so badly needs?
Amit Sharma will direct a cast made up of Afghan performers for this stage performance. The cast include Shamail Ali (Hessam), Farshid Rokey (Hamed) and Ahmad Sakhi (Hussein), joined by award-winning Afghan vocalist and composer, Elaha Soroor.
A VR experience with positivity and kindness
Alongside the play, there’ll be a new free virtual reality experience titled Amiri to enjoy. A story of love and positivity, this communal VR experience is inspired by the stories of Hussein Amiri and his family. It’s created in collaboration with Hamed and Hessam Amiri to honour their brother’s life.
Amiri brings together a small audience to share the positive impact Hussein had on those around him in life, and following his death in 2018, as well as those that came to the family’s aid when they most needed it. The experience is centred around the sofra – the space in the home where the family would meet, talk and exchange stories over food.
Told through a mixture of written, performed and verbatim recordings, the story surrounds you in an ever-changing virtual world. It combines subtle imagery, light and shadow, to evoke the feeling and atmosphere of the family stories being told, from Afghanistan to Wales.
Discover more rewarding theatre shows here!
When: 1st – 23rd October 2021
Where: Wales Millennium Centre’s Weston Studio, Cardiff Bay CF10 5AL
£: Tickets cost £15 (Suitable for ages 10+ years)
More info: www.wmc.org.uk