An Interview with Gilda Hamidi on “Tapancheh Khanoum”
Ghomri, Most Positive Character of Show
Ghomri, Most Positive Character of Show 2
Ghomri, Most Positive Character of Show 3
Iran Theater: One of the outstanding features of “Tapancheh Khanoum” is its diverse and brilliant acting of the cast. Gilda Hamidi understands her role as a maid of a family living during the Qajar dynasty (1785-1925). The outstandingly talented actress can deliver a proper picture of her role. She has cooperated with renowned directors such as Nasrollah Qaderi and Shapour Qarib before.
Born in Isfahan in 1972, Gilda Hamidi holds master degree in theater direction from Cinema & Theater Faculty of Art University. She starred in “Electra”, “Auction”, “Medea”, “Maids”, “Julio Caesar” and “Houra”.
Directed by Shahab Hosseinpour, the show is being performed in the City Theater. The audience welcomed “Tapancheh Khanoum” enthusiastically. “Tapancheh Khanoum” tells the story of Akhtaro Saltaneh, a wealthy woman who tries to make her fellow citizens civilized and cultured.
Fariba Motekhases, Arash Falahatpisheh, Mohammad Naderi, Gilda Hamidi, Hamid Rahimi, Mohammad Seddighimehr, Ghazaleh Jazayeri, Alireza Moayedi, Marzieh Sohrab, Sima Khazaei and Mahda Razazi star in the play. “Tapancheh Khanoum” received the top show award of the 34th Fadjr International Theater Festival in 2016. It also received awards for best direction, costume design, make-up design, set design, music and the best actress (Fariba Motekhases).
Gilda Hamidi talks more about her character in the piece.
As an actress, you have starred in shows based on foreign plays such as “Maids” as well as Iranian ones. What kind of pieces are you interested more?
I do not make such distinction for accepting a role. The main yardsticks for me are drama and characters in the plays. The character must have something to express for me to be able to act good and be attractive to the audience.
Why did you accept to play in “Tapancheh Khanoum”?
When I read the play, I was bewitched by the writing language of the author.
Does the play has elements of Iranian culture?
Yes. Plays written by Mohammad Yarahmadi are truly Iranian while they have a very well drama among their characters and their relationships. The characters are memorable and multi-layered in his plays. Yarahmadi deals with all aspects of lives of the characters in “Tapancheh Khanoum”, talking about power and human errors, their views of the world and their natures. After reading the play, I understood that it was not important who is in power, people come and go and why we should commit stealing or oppress others. The only hopeful thing in the play is love which rescues the man. Shahb Hosseinpour is a young director from a generation who is hard to trust in. But I trusted him because he is knowledgeable and deep person.
Some characters like Akhtaro Saltaneh and the old nanny express dialogues in accented Persian. But other characters do not have accent. Why is there such a double standard?
No character was supposed to talk with accent. The author believed older characters must have special tones in their speaking, which could take the audience to the tenure of the Qajar dynasty. Ghomri khanoum is a maid from Tehran so there is no reason for her to have accent. Houshang (the husband of Akhtaro Saltaneh) is also a tailor from Tehran. If all characters talked Persian with local accents the show would become very local and indigenous.
How did you regard Ghomri role in “Tapancheh Khanoum”?
I loved Ghomri. Her character has identity and act. I think she is the most positive character of the show because she seeks humane relationship and believes in true love.