Theatre is, and always has been, incredibly different from film and television. It’s raw, evocative and, most importantly, alive – and these aspects come to life in a spellbinding new adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel The Kite Runner. Produced by Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, I managed to catch this production on its new tour at its stop at the York Theatre Royal.

The Kite Runner tells the story of best friends Amir (played by Ben Turner) and Hassan (played by Andrei Costin), and how their lives are changed forever one afternoon in 1970s Kabul. It is a glorious, sunny day: the perfect atmosphere for the kite running tournament, where kite flyers chase their opponents’ fallen kites through the city. Hassan is Amir’s Hazara – or servant – and pledges to do anything for him, and when Amir asks him to catch the last fallen kite of the tournament, he willingly endeavours to do his master and best friend’s bidding. However, Hassan encounters sinister sociopath Assef (Nicholas Karimi) who sexually assaults him for not giving up the kite. By the time Amir finds Hassan, it is too late – and he makes the choice to run and leave his best friend in his hour of need. After being torn apart by guilt, Amir persuades his father Baba (Emilio Doorgasingh) that Hassan and his father should leave the house. Baba strongly disagrees with his son, but Hassan’s father draws the line and declares they are leaving. After the two servants leave, Amir is still wracked with guilt, which is worsened by the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1979 as he and his father leave Kabul. Years later, Amir finds that he must return to his country after living in America in a desperate bid to atone for his guilt – and finds he must face dark figures from his past in order to truly “be good again”.

While the plot is very engaging, it’s ultimately the way that it’s brought to life that truly grips you. With a beautiful set designed by Barney George, the stage becomes a sun-washed playground in which the actors bring Hosseini’s novel to life. Light, sound and stunning visual imagery interweave and create a living, breathing world that draws you in from the moment the lights go down.

The company works incredibly well together, working effortlessly as a tight, chameleonic ensemble that portrays the epic characters and narrative Hosseini has created. They take you to a multitude of places, from clear azure skies full of soaring kites to the harsh, oppressive sands of Taliban-governed Kabul. The performances of the main characters are top-drawer, and characters that grip you and connect with you are always present on stage. This makes you appreciate them even more when the play gets a bit hard-hitting – by this, I mean that some of the scenes it depicts are dark, and some audience members may find them a bit challenging. But ultimately, this spattering of scenes helps to make the play poignant and powerful, and makes it even more engaging.

The Kite Runner is an excellent piece of theatre that ticks all the right boxes in terms of being a superb, politically charged piece about friendship, loyalty and honour. It’s gripping, exciting and relevant, and it’s not to be missed.

The Kite Runner is playing at the York Theatre Royal until 1 November. For more information and tickets, visit the York Theatre Royal website.