Festival Breathes New Life Into Religious Theater

'I Miss Myself Sometimes', which is written and directed by Ahmad Shahinfar, a noted theater artist from Isfahan, was performed in the historic city during Ashura to Arbaeen Mourning Event. The audience welcomed the performance warmly. 'I Miss Myself Sometimes' is inspired by one of the verses of the holy Quran. It tells the story of people who lose their identities and become alienated.

Shahinfar performed his piece in Mahmoud Farschian Cultural and Artistic Complex of Isfahan. He talks more about his play and the event in an exclusive interview with Iran Theater.  

Shia sect of Islam commemorates Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram to mourn the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) grandson, Imam Hussein (AS), by armies of the Yazid at the battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

The holy Shia ritual of Arbaeen falls 40 days after the holy Day of Ashura in the month of Safar.

Religious theater has been forgotten in recent years and the absence of those theater artists who love religious theater is felt, Shahinfar said, adding than the Mourning Event breathed a new life into the religious theater thank God.

He added that many artists working in religious theater field were chosen in the event this year and majority of famous names had pieces.

"The Mourning Event has been positive for religious theater after years," the director said and added, "Ashura to Arbaeen Mourning Event is a national festival, which will have positive outcome in the long run."

Shahinfar, who had so far written 'Time for the Gun's Death', 'Strange Closeness', 'Man of Sadness' and 'Sadism', said that 'I Miss Myself Sometimes' was written in surrealism style but it was closed to realism in performance for better connection with spectators.

He added that it would picture the story of people who had been lost and confused in their lives, the people who do not know themselves and had been dillusional.    

Mohsen Ahmadinik, Fereshteh Shahbandi, Hamidreza Yahyaabadi, Amir Hossein Khamesipour and Maryam Khalegh starred in 'I Miss Myself Sometimes', which is written and directed by Ahmad Shahinfar.