Ali Sarabi’s narration of “Astdalali” which has never been seen anywhere in the world

Charso Press: This theater director and actor, who had previously performed the play “Through the Looking Glass” written by Florian Zeller on several different occasions, decided to stage it again, but this play was rejected by the supervision and evaluation council of the General Department of Performing Arts.

Public relations of this department, in the explanation of the letter provided to ISNA, stated that since this show has been performed several times, Ali Sarabi, as an artist with good taste, is expected to stage a new show.

Sarabi, however, in a conversation with ISNA, considered this argument unprofessional and emphasized: There is no such thing anywhere in the world where a show has already been performed and while it is still popular with the audience, it is not allowed to be performed again.

Explaining the background of the past performances of this play, he added: The play “Aan Souy Aineh” that I have presented to the performing arts center has been presented 3 times in the supervision and evaluation councils of the General Department of Performing Arts in different periods, and each time it was approved and performed. and this is despite the fact that in each term, new members have been present in the supervisory council.

This director and actor explained about his interest in performing this show several times: I presented this work for the fourth time because I dare to say that I have about a thousand requests and messages from the public on my personal pages, who clearly want to perform this show again. They are affected to have a smile on their faces for a few moments, regardless of the daily conflicts.

Sarabi added: For this reason, in the current situation, before I want to start a new performance, I thought to propose a show that is ready for performance, because it is good for the mood of our audience, but to my surprise, I saw that it was rejected and here The discussion of politics comes up in the theater.

He continued: According to the explanation of the performing arts center that was published in ISNA, I say that, unfortunately, the honorable center of performing arts has put forward an article that is completely unprofessional, because not only in our dear country, but anywhere in the world, there is no precedent for such a thing to be said. We do not authorize a show because it has been performed many times.

Referring to the administrative process of theater performance in Iran, Sarabi reminded: the working method is that a text is presented and the performing arts center refers it to the monitoring and evaluation council to approve or reject it. As usual, since this text has been presented to different councils three times and has been approved without any doubt, we presented it to them, and they replied that we will not give permission for this show of yours anywhere in Iran. When we asked the reason for it, they said that we cannot tell the reason. If they had told me directly, because this show has been performed many times, it is no longer possible to perform it, I could have convinced them why such a reason is unprofessional, but they did not tell me anything in this regard.

Referring to his background in Iranian theater, Sarabi noted: The respected members and management of the performing arts center know that I am among the professionals in the country’s theater and cinema acting and directing system. A professional means a person who makes a living from that particular profession. But with the utmost respect, I must say that none of the current members of the Performing Arts Center have as much experience as Ali Sarabi in appearing on stage and collaborating with important directors of the country and the awards I have received from domestic and foreign festivals. So please don’t advise me what is better or worse for the theater community. Of course, I will come to the stage with new texts, because I have learned from Mr. Saarigian that this stage is my life and mine.

In response to whether you have an intention to perform a new work, he explained: Of course, I intend to present a new work, but I do not do this on the advice of anyone.

Sarabi continued addressing the officials of the performing arts center: I am very grateful that after weeks of my writing and the producer of the show, you finally answered the reason for rejecting our text. But as a theater person who has a history in this society, but I still experience the theater environment as an experimenter, I tell you that there is no precedent in the world where a play is not allowed to perform due to its multiple performances, except That show does not have an audience or qualified people reject it in terms of quality.

This theater artist added: The author of the play “Beyond the Looking Glass” is one of the most prominent writers of theater and cinema in the world today, and this text is one of his prominent texts. As the director and actor of this work, I think I am known to theater people. Therefore, it cannot be said that my work is of low quality.

Referring to the presence of some theater activists in the monitoring and evaluation council of the General Department of Performing Arts, Sarabi continued: “Some of the honorable members of this council are my friends, and I have acted with some of them on stage and accompanied them, these friends all acknowledge We are here to help our friends so that the theater can live, but why in such cases, the performance of the council shows something else?

Referring to numerous performances of the world’s most famous dramatic texts, Sarabi added: “The Phantom of the Opera” has been on the stage for nearly 30 years as one of the world’s most prominent dramatic texts. Why go far at all?! I would like to remind the respected director of the performing arts center, who is educated in theater, that, for example, ta’ziyeh, Takhthauzi, and siah bazi, as types of Iranian performances, have been performed for many years depending on the occasion, but we are not saying that they should not be performed again because it is repetitive. Because this is the nature of theater and these types of shows, and they still have an audience over the years. As many times, a movie version has been made from a text like “Hamlet”. Besides, cinema is permanent and it is not necessary to recreate it, but theater is an art to be on stage, not to be recorded. Therefore, its audience changes over the years.

Referring to the number of viewers of his show, he added: My performance has had about 50,000 viewers so far, but it has a million potential viewers who can see it. My question is, why do you withhold from the growing theater society a work that, according to the audience, is a quality and acceptable work? If your reason for not performing my work throughout Iran is to repeat it, then I believe with my little knowledge that you are logically wrong. If your logic is that this work does not have an audience and why should it occupy the hall, you are wrong in terms of statistics. If you have any other reason, please let me know. There is no need for you to announce to the press or for me to talk. Please notify my producer to follow up with legal authorities. Society needs to get away from problems and feel some pleasure by watching such shows for two hours.

Ali Sarabi pointed out: The show “Beyond the Mirror” does not harm the foundation of a family or an organization or institution, it is not a political work, and it does not, for example, make an allusion to the incident of tea. Rather, it is an independent theatrical work that can stay on the stage for a long time. Especially in the situation that Satra has obtained the permission to make and broadcast this work and it is going to be published in the form of a visual work from one of the platforms of our country, that is, there is no problem in terms of content.

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