Dias compares and contrasts the difficulties of the Syrian civil war in Return to Aleppo: the blood-pulsing chaos of leaving home at a moment's notice, the numbing bureaucracy of waiting months or longer for a new home. Dias's visual and poetic interludes between these scenes also are evocative, further revealing the emotional state of Hasti, the protagonist, who is dependent upon others for survival.

This play, exquisitely crafted, intimately looks at the horrors of war. With its beautifully drawn characters of Hasti and Mariam, Dias takes you on an emotional journey through that which should never be endured, that powerfully centres us in a world, that while unfamiliar to most, is all too real for many. It's this reality, artfully created, that draws you in and haunts you before leaving you with a motivating push, that we can and must do more. An important piece, necessary for any festival that wishes to engage and offer thought provoking theatre.