As the Soviet army invades Afghanistan, Aman and Mariam flee to Canada in hopes of putting an ocean between themselves and the daily horrors of war. A championship chess player in Kabul, Aman finds himself working in a pizzeria just to get by. Their fresh start continues to prove difficult as they navigate the trauma and displacement that follows them at every turn, and when their son Roshan is born, their curse of displacement is passed on to the next generation. The family’s only hope for a peaceful future might be Mariam’s past, as her family mythology becomes a source of power. Is her love strong enough to keep Aman and Roshan from destroying themselves or each other?

Kawa Ada is an actor and writer. Soon after graduating from the Boston Conservatory, he was cast on Broadway in Bombay Dreams. He has since played leading roles across Canadian theatre, including at Factory, Tarragon, Belfry, Canadian Stage, and several seasons at the Shaw Festival. He won a Dora Mavor Moore Award for his debut performance at the Soulpepper Theatre Company in Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Kawa began his writing with solo shows, including The Canny Afghani, which premiered at the Boston Center for the Arts. He wrote and produced the comedy short Jihad Gigolo, which was screened at the ReelWorld Film Festival. He was born in Kabul and lives in Toronto.

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“There’s some fine writing… Ada integrates a lot about Afghanistan’s war-torn history with impressive skill.” —Glenn Sumi, NOW Magazine