Priest a Member of Satan's Army

Amir Hossein Rostami has cooperated with noted theater directors such as Farhad Ayeesh and Alireza Koushk-Jalali in recent years. ‘Word Silent Word and Beyond’, ‘Last Sultan’, ‘Pejman’, ‘A Piece of Land’, ‘Air Girls’ and … are among his important masterpieces.

 

‘The Good Soldier Švejk’ is among important classic novels of the world in 20th century. It is written by Jaroslav Hašek (1883 –1923), a Czech writer, humorist, satirist and journalist. ‘The Good Soldier Švejk’ is an unfinished collection of farcical incidents about a soldier in World War I and a satire on the ineptitude of authority figures.

 

The cast and crew of the play include actors: Farhad Ayeesh, Kataneh Afsharinejad, Kambiz Amini, Reza Jahani, Amir Hossein Rostami, Mehran Ranjbar, Behnam Sharafi, Hamed Komeili, Behnaz Nazi, Bahar Nouhian, Parham Abrari, Reza Afshar, Soheil Baba-Ali, Mojtaba Babaeifard, Amin Balang, Majid Tafreshi, Kiarash Dastyari, Saeed Rostami, Mohsen Salari, Iman Solgi, Farhad Ghadimkhani, Mohammad Kamangir, Sina Kowaei, Ali Golshani, Saleh Lavasani, Mohammad Moshtaghi, Ata Moghimi, Mohammadnejad, Mohammad Niazi and Saeed Hashemi, set designer: Reza Mahdizadeh, costume designer: Edna Zeinalian, make-up designer: Maria Hajiha, lighting designer: Reza Heydari, music: Alireza Abdolkarimi, assistant director, planner and production director: Mohammad Goudarz Ziani, set director: Ali Asadi and media advisor: Aida Orang.

 

Amir Hossein Rostami talks more about ‘The Good Soldier Švejk’.

 

 

 

You are among few actors who play in television and cinema and also star in successful theater plays. How do you make your choice in theater?

 

I try to make decision after studying about credit of director. I also think about characteristics of characters. I do not accept theater proposals which do not fit with my yardsticks…

 

You have cooperated with many theater figures. How did you decide to cooperate with Hamid Reza Naeimi in ‘The Good Soldier Švejk’?

 

This is my first play with Naeimi. He is a top-notch director. The text is attractive too…

 

One of the attractive characters of ‘The Good Soldier Švejk’ is multifaceted priest.

 

Yes. He is an antagonist smart and dominant character with many ups and downs in his character. Acting his role has been attractive for me. The clergy has a fake character who is corrupt to the bone. When Vatican sends supervisors to oversee the health of his behavior and works, they see how much stranger he is with God and religious values.  

 

 

 

 War is destructive and violent per se. But it secures wealth for priest who supports its continuation.

 

Priest does nothing for God and people. War is a cash-cow for him which strengthen his power. One of the benefits of war is holding burial and memorial procession for those who killed in war. It is a profitable business.

 

Is priest’s character gray?

 

No. He is completely negative. No sign of humanity is seen in his act and character. I think he is Satan and represents army of Satan.