Amir Reza Koohestani I Mehr Theatre Group I Iran

Original play by Anton Chekhov

A tragicomedy after the revolt
Ivanov is exhausted. His wife Anna is mortally ill. She broke with her Jewish family out of love for him five years ago, but his love for her has waned. His previous projects and plans do not interest him any more. Wearing large headphones, Ivanov retreats from the world and listens to English lessons; he intends to emigrate one day, perhaps.
Young Iranians staged protests following the presidential elections in 2009. What has become of the "green movement"? Following the hugely successful opening of the play in Tehran, a young Iranian actress posted on Facebook "We are all Ivanov”.
The storyline is performed almost entirely on a sofa and a bed. Here, the 'superfluous people' sit back and watch: Ivanov's heartbreaking betrayal of his wife, the fate of the Iranian capital sinking in violence and smog, and the political stagnation and isolation of the country. Koohestani remains very close to Chekhov in his adaptation, and captures the essence of the scenes with great density and musicality. With his exceptional cast of actors, he succeeds in presenting an atmospheric, intense and contemporary realisation of this Anton Chekhov classic in forceful, nearly cinematic images.

http://www.mehrtheatregroup.com

Text adapted and directed by Amir Reza Koohestani Assistant Director Mohammad Reza Hosseinzadeh, Roxna Bahram Set Amir Hossein Ghodsi, Amir Reza Koohestani Music Hooshyar Khayam Sound Design Kave Abedin Costumes Negar Nemati Video and Technical Director Hessam Nourani Graphic Design Pedram Harby Photography Abbas Kowsari With Vahid Aghapour, Ali Bagheri, Reza Behboodi, Saeid Changizian, Fatemeh Fakhraee, Mohammad Reza Hosseinzadeh, Negar Javaherian, Fatemeh Kamram, Hassan Madjooni, Mahin Sadri Production Mehr Theatre Group Production Manager Mohammad Reza Hosseinzadeh Company and Tour Manager Pierre Reis Translation Angela Tschorsnig and Kourosh Betsarkis

Sponsored by the Goethe-Institut