Cannot Predict Audience Reactions

The acting of Mr Hemmat is etched in the memory of the Iranian audience as different and outstanding. He does not only in theater but in cinema and television too. Holding a bachelor degree in theater from Tehran University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, Mr Hemmat received an emblem of merit from Artists Evaluation Council for acting.

He played in pieces based on classic plays such as “Macbeth”, “Othello” and “Elektra”.  Other pieces he acted include “Slowly with the Rose” (Hadi Marzban), “Tehan, Poor Bitus” (Hamid Mozafari), “Tehran, Melody of a Rainy City” (Hadi Marzban), and“The Good Woman of Sichuan” (Mohammad Kowsar).

“Nil in Nil” is designed and directed by Sivosh Tahmores. It is on stage since Saturday in Qashqaei auditorium of the City Theater. The piece will be performed just for six days due to stresses and mental and intellectual pressures it put on the cast. It was on stage last year and was welcomed by the audience.

The piece is based on an extemporaneous acting and actors form the dramatic ambience of the piece on their internal and intellectual knowledge.

Asghar Hemmat, Ezatollah Mehravaran, Mohammad Hatami, Shohreh Lorestani, Mina Abdi and Siavash Tahmores star in stars in “Nil in Nil”. The piece is on stage in Qashqaei auditorium on November 5-12 at 20:30.

He tells more about the piece. 

Have you ever had such an experience as you have now in “Nil in Nil”?

I had had similar experience in 1977 with Qasem Seif in a piece sponsored by Namayesh House of the television, was located in Dr Fatemeh Street and was like a typical house with yard and living room. Although we had rehearsals for that piece.

 

Have you had a general plot for your work?

Yes. We have started with a general guideline and the piece was titled “Cage of Freedom”. It was mentioned in the brochure of the piece let’s come to talk and have tea and see a piece if possible. The only fixed general guidelines were the two words of cage and freedom. We had time to have poems, images and other related things to these two words. The set was designed with used cages.

 

Did the actors had complete freedom?

They were free during the rehearsals. Then director chose the final form of the piece.

 

Does it mean the piece have differences with “Nil in Nil”?

They are relatively different. But no performance looked a like with the other one. We had to face a new matter each night because we had direct and close relations with the audience.

Is this piece like those “Theater of the Oppressed’, founded by Brazilian theater director Augusto Boal?

Yes. It is somehow like that. But it has nothing to do with that theater form. Augusto Boal performed theater in the streets and alleys for people living in the poor and slum areas. But the audience coming to Qashqaei auditorium have bought ticket and freely chosen to watch our piece….

 

 

How much of your past experiences with “Cage of Freedom” are helpful in “Nil in Nil”?

It is supposed my co-actors and I do not have any knowledge of our performance and come on the stage without knowing what will happen or see any action or reaction from the audience.

 

How many days had you been mulling over the piece?

It has been a few days that I have not have a good night sleep.

 

Do you afraid of facing unexpected things on the stage?

It is not the fear. It is an anxiety that is with me more or less with every performance I do. If I was frightened, I would not have played in the piece. This anxiety is sweet. In the piece of “Portrait of a Fallen Man”, which was staged in Sangelaj Theater a few months ago, I had a solo performance for one and half an hour. I was worried not to express any sentence wrongly or be able to run the stage.