An Interview with Anna F Ibor: Mobarak and Arkekino Are Similar
Mehrangiz Ghahremani Hotel Karj Company recently held courses of comedia del arte in Iran. Anna F Ibor is one of the main members of this group who hold workshop in Maan theatre hall also another workshop in 9th Marivan International Outdoor Theatre Festival. We had an interview with the theatre expert that you are reading it without the questions. Hotel Karj Company has been funded by Catherine Van Bourden and it has been active since eight years ago. She is the leader of this company and the base of their activities is comedia del arte. We work with and without masks. Our main activity is not based on traditional comedia del arte but we work on modern one. In Marivan workshop I spoke about archetypes.
Hotel Karj project was formed since two years ago. Van Bourden asked herself the question that if the world changes to a hotel what will happen? And what is your position there? After that the idea was performed we were invited to go to Palestine and work there. At there we decided to develop that idea so we can say that the idea was formed in Palestine.
We performed the subject in countries like Palestine, USA, India and Ghana. In Palestine they said that they want to be in the kitchen of the hotel. In India they said we want to work hidden and organize everything, and then when passengers came they do not find us.
In Ghana they said that we are fishers and like to fish and put them in the hotel at nights and then run away. Americans said that we want to sit in the conference hall, walk and see what will happen to the world? So, we decide to make a full scene with all of these masks and start to travel to different countries with a suitcase full if masks.
My knowledge about Iranian theatre and culture is back to one Iranian friend's talks that they gave a rich culture while they are very hosting. I think Iranians must honor to this traditional culture and art.
We recently recognized the similarity between one of our masks with an Iranian puppet character Mobarak. Arlekino is a servant who listens to his lord's words and is a bridge between people and the lord because his boss is out of reach and Arkekino is more with people.
I’m very interested in knowing Mobarak to be able to work more on it. These are base of comedia del arte means whatever we and you are talking about. Therefore, it is very important to finds similarities and united world of these two characters and completes them.