Play Focuses on Relationship Crisis

Born in 87 in Ardebil, Salim Bashokouh started journalism as a career after his graduation from dramatic literature. He has worked in many domestic newspapers and websites such as Iran, Khabar, Khabaronline, Etemad, Farhikhtegan and Hamshahri. He is a theater critic and a member of Iran Association of Theater Critics.

"Behind Half-Closed Eyelids" is his second professional theater direction after "Let's Talk". Iran Theater has conducted an exclusive interview with Salim Bashokouh.

At a time theater groups count on ticket sale more than ever, you have directed a play with sociopolitical theme. Do you think you have been successful?

Unfortunately, today's theater is focused on entertainment only. Many theater groups try to stay away of redlines not to face any problems. Others stage plays and talk about things which do not exist in our society. I cannot make connection between those plays and my real life. My question is what we are doing for our theater? Why do we write? Wasn't theater supposed to help the society and promote culture?

Unfortunately, our theater is turned into a business. Instead of directing a strong play, we employ celebrities. The audience will tolerate the play for five minutes because that celebrity. But what's next? A strong play can be influential. I think theater should pass behind redlines to play the role of a social reformist. Theater is beyond this stage now.

What was your main purpose of directing this play?

My concern is relationship crisis and is followed in both plays that I have so far directed and the plays that I have written. I believe we are facing a crisis in our relations with others. This crisis directs us toward confusion and loneliness. The old relationships are forsaken and we see an alienation in the society. "Behind Half-Closed Eyelids" focuses on that crisis s it could be read in its brochure; our story is the silent puzzle of the contemporary human, who is drowned in an unwanted loneliness. The confusion has bring about new concerns for human, which is robbed him/her of dynamism and peace and a correct mechanism for his/her life.