Ara Yernjakyan: Iranian shows have modern language
Iran Theater-Ara Yernjakyan, the director of Hamlet said she likes Iranian theater because it is modern, and because Iranian shows have modern language.
A new adaptation of Hamlet from Armenia was performed on the 41st Fadjr International Theater Festival on Sunday, Jan.29, at the main Hall of City Theater Complex. Iran Theater had a talk with Ara Yernjakyan on the avant-garde performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Tell us about yourself.
- I am Ara Yernjakyan, the founder and artistic director of Kamerayin Theater in Yerevan. Kamerayin Theater is not only a theater troupe, but also a theater complex with all the features of education, production and performance. Apart from directing, I also write. We have performed in many festivals around the world from America to Europe. Our play is based on the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, but I have rewritten it. In fact, the setting of the play is Hamlet. Of course, it is changed. Therefore, the performance is not classical. The audiences of many festivals thought that the performance was energetic and youthful.
Are all of the members of your troupe from the "Kamerayin" theater?
- Our theater is a public theater funded by the government. All the members of this theater are theater graduates and are employed by Kamerayin Theater.
We have performed Hamlet in different parts of the world for about two years and it has always been well received by the audience. We won two awards for Hamlet: the best performance of the year and the " Artavazd " award, which is given to the best artists. We have participated in the Yerevan Shakespearean Festival as well, and we still have many invitations from other festivals like St. Petersburg and Poland.
Did you expect the good reception from the audience at FITF?
- We participated in another Fadjr International Theater Festival in Iran a few years ago, although our performance play was not a well-known play but the play was well received and Both of our shows were performed with full audiences; Therefore, I somehow knew that Iranian audience would come to watch our show with enthusiasm and that our work would be welcomed.
Are you familiar with performing arts in Iran? Have you seen performances from Iran?
- Yes, Iranian shows have participated in the "High Fest" festival, which is held every year in Armenia, I have also watched Iranian works. I like Iranian theater because it is modern and Iranian shows have modern language.
The 41st FITF is underway in Tehran until January 31. The festival is presided over by Iranian actor and director Kourosh Zarei
