'I was scared of the bees at first, but now, they make me feel alive. They are like a society in complete harmony with itself. Not like people at all, but maybe what people have the potential to be.'

Nuri is a beekeeper; his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo – until the unthinkable happens. 

When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to flee. On their terrifying journey, they must face the pain of their immeasurable loss alongside incredible danger. Above all, they must keep going in order to find each other again.

Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler's adaptation of Christy Lefteri's compassionate and beautiful bestselling novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in 2023, directed by Miranda Cromwell. It was revived in 2026 for a tour of the UK and Ireland.



'Wonderful... had me entranced from the get-go... a fascinating study of grief, migration and dislocation... brilliantly written... a profoundly moving triumph'



'Beautifully and unapologetically human, this moving and powerful play will stay on your mind long after you leave the theatre'



'Alrefaai and Spangler's adaptation is sparklingly assured... a cogent portrait of psychological dislocation... an impressive show that neither idealises its protagonists nor relies on cheap political point-scoring'