“Macbeth Zar” to Perform in “Moscow Nights” Fest

The play is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which is combined with Zar ritual of Iran’s southern regions. The play will be performed in the festival late October.
Zar is a religious custom, involving the possession of an individual (usually female) by a spirit.
Zar denotes a class of spirits, the illness they cause when descending upon a person, and the ritual necessary to pacify the spirits and secure the alleviation of the patient’s symptoms. The ritual involves holding a ceremony where incense, music, and movement play a role in appeasing the Zar to provide relief for the afflicted.
Davood Eslami, Mohammad Sayebani, Sara Tavakoli, Fariba Amiri, Majid Keshavarz, Behrooz Abbasi, Masoud Oola-Bandari and Reza Kalghani play in the drama.
Poshtkoohi used play methods such as Kabuki, Kathakali, and Comedia dell’arte to have different performance of the Shakespeare’s adaptation.
Folkloric music and songs of southern Iran were combined with various Japanese and African, Indian music instruments and tools to give the performance a new face.
Behrang Abbaspour is the composer and Ali Shahbazi and Vahid Hassan Rezaei are instrument players of the play.  
 “Macbeth” tries to become master Zar player by committing crimes and relinquish Scottish kingdom to become a member of Ahle Hava Zar Cult in Hormuz Island in Iran. 
 “Macbeth, Only the First Dog Knows Why He Barks” took part in Armenia’s high fest and was invited to France’s Avignon festival, which could not attend because of refusal of French embassy to issue visa for the group.
“Macbeth, Only the First Dog Knows Why He Barks” received award from New Experience section of the 28th Fadjr International Theater Festival in 2009 and was performed in Tehran City Theater’ Namayesh Hall in 2010.
Other members of the play are lighting designer: Masoud Mirzaei, poster & brochure designer: Sedigheh Gholami, photographer: Mehdi Ashna and Public Relations: Forough Sajjadi.
The Moscow festival is an important international event to run from 23 to 30 November.