Mood of Characters Shown by Music & Song

The last work by Mr Poshtekouhi is written by Bakhtiar Ali, which is published by Faraz Publishing House. Ebrahim Poshtekouhi is a renowned name in Iran’s experimental theater. He is one of the few directors, who is not originated from Tehran, but his pieces have appeals in the capital’s main theater venues. He is coming from the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas. The traces of his hometown could be seen in his works. His first piece was with Shahid Sayani School – The Stone Rain. He was awarded the best playwrights of Iran in 2000 by Iran Association of Playwrights. His theater group is named Ti Touk Nanam.

Some of his pieces include “Purgatory”, “Lour Man”, “When We Come Back, There Are Two Hanging Feet Left”, “Aali and Fati”, “My Beloved Is Asleep”, “The History of Suppression” and “Only the First Dog Knows Why He Barks” (top theater of 29^th Fadjr International Theater Festival”.

“The World’s Last Pomegranate”, which is written and directed by Mr Poshtekoushi, has opened on October 3 in Tehran’s Sayeh Theater. It tells the story of war and its conflict with love.

Mohammad Sayebani, Hossein Asili, Elham Eskandari, Behnam Panizeh, Sara Shahi, Miras Paridar, Saeed Isaei, Vahid Farahani, Elnaz Amini, Fatemeh Ehsanfar play in the show.

Sima Kahnamouei is the assistant director, Ebrahim Poshtekoushi the set designer, Fatemeh Poshtekouhi the costume designer, Payman Bakhshi the lighting designer, Mousa Ameri sign designer, Buda Abbasnia the poster designer, Nahad Mowlavifar decoration construction, Ramona Shah international affairs director, Ehsan Hajipour public relations director, Ahmad-Reza Hajarzadeh media advisor, Amir Parsaianmehr advertisement designer and Mehdi Ashena and Buda Abbasnia the photographers.

 

Do you criticize war and massacre in your piece?

Each artist touches the atmosphere he lives. This environment influences his pieces in the long term. The so-called civilized world is grappling with the most savage violence committed under the pretext of democracy. The common people had been the main victims of violence throughout history. Naked violence is seen in Iran’s neighboring counties now. Iran is surrounded by violence in such countries. I felt committed to react to such violence as an artist.

“The World’s Last Pomegranate” looked much like a variety of Federico Fellini’s works; a combination of joy and sorrow, love and death and etc. Do you believe in such an approach?

It was a good reference. Federico Fellini is one of the directors I admire a lot. Each art work has its world, a symbol of life and the living condition of people. In my piece, the life is seen with all of its ups and downs. I regard a play full of joy and sorrow, love and death and etc. I try to picture such a world in my pieces perfectly for the audience to experience a new atmosphere.

 

How much have you been faithful to the world pictured by the writer?

The novel by Bakhtiar Ali has reached its ninth edition in Iran. It has been one of the most popular fictions in Iran in recent years. It has been translated in many languages and the most outstanding Kurdish novel. What was important in the novel is that it talks about war without moaning or distorting the image of the wretched people but he brings out life, love and friendship from the dust of war. Contrary to the novels on war whose approach of writer bitter, Bakhtiar Ali pushes back the war and creates a magical realism. My piece is moving in this line.

 

How much important is the use of music and song for you?

… The music has a dramatic function in the piece. Of course, we should bear this in mind that women cannot sing solo music on stage. I turned this restriction to an opportunity to give the common people a main role in the piece while they usually witness joy, war, conflict and strife as it is said in Persian “Death Is Good but for Our Neighbors”. Music makes people active here in this piece.