The Kite Runner took Salisbury by storm on Monday when a packed audience rewarded this stylish, sensitive production with a standing ovation.

Currently on tour, this Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse production has Matthew Spangler’s skilful adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel ably directed by Giles Croft. It is a remarkable depiction of Afghan culture between the early 1970s and the 1990s, and spans the world, with locations also in San Francisco and Pakistan.

Loyalty, betrayal and brutality all feature in this haunting tale of a young man from a prosperous family, his father and their devoted servants, another father and son. There are dark secrets, sacrificial actions and crises of confidence.

The excitement of kite flying contests in Kabul, where competitors coat their kite strings with powdered glass and glue to cut opponents' kites loose, echo the title, as eager kite runners race to retrieve fallen kites.

Political upheaval, regime changes, and the desperate plight of homeless children all contribute to a compelling story, enhanced by imaginative design and mesmeric live music performed by Hanif Khan.

The impressive cast includes Ben Turner as Amir, Andrei Costin in the dual roles of Hassan and Sohrab, Emilio Doorgasingh as Baba, Antony Bunsee as General Taheri, and Lisa Zahra as Soraya, with David Ahmad, Bhavit Bhatt, Nicholas Karimi, Ezra Khan and Nicholas Khan.

The skills of designer Barney George and fight director Philip d’Orleans enhance the impact of this play, which pre-dated the film of the same name.