Putting pressure on the implementation of “Smoke Machine”!
Charso Press: These days, the narration and story of an Iranian show called “Smoke Machine” has drawn many audiences to the Sangalj theater to watch a comedy show with a story that has a romantic and mystical flavor, sitting at the feet of a female mentor named “Balqis”. The music of this show is played live by musicians, artists and singers familiar with Iranian show rhythms. Also, their physical presence on the stage of the show confronts the audience with a new and creative style of performance. The show “Smoke Machine” is a women’s story, which, in addition to referring to events from history, also has stories about the oppression of women in the past.
Flip the smoke machine to society
Hossein Tefangdar, the author of the script and the director of the show “Smoke Machine” in an interview with the reporter of “Sharq Network”, referring to the performance of the above show, says: “This show is multifaceted, the outer shell has a historical-political critical work, which explains more about It can reveal the story to the audience, but the bottom layer of the show is a mystical layer and has an epistemological view of the world. Just as the demons of stories existed in Iranian myths and now in the land of our existence, there are also demons of lust, polytheism, anger, envy, etc. inside us, and until we defeat the demons inside us, they will prevent us from being released from prison. It becomes our existence. As Rumi said: “He is the breath of torpedoes. When did he die?” He is depressed from the sadness of impotence”; And as the actor who played the role of “Sultan Hossein” also says at the end of the work: “Who has seen the soul of the dead killed with a stick or a stick…” that means it nullifies everything that I had shown in the show and so on. It is important to point out that the ego is always alive, but we are the ones who overcome it, this is the epistemic and mystical approach of the show.
In response to the question of whether the Smoke Machine intended to indirectly and imperceptibly hit the current society, he emphasizes: “Smoking Machine is precisely in different layers of the work, whether it is mystical, romantic, or historical. Politicians are nudging or reminding each and every member of the society to behave correctly in any social position such as an employee, manager, senior official, or any other position, so that we can overcome and tame the demon of lust and anger in our being.”
Defending the homeland by mastering the inner demon
Tafangdar, the author of the script and the director of the show “Smoke Machine”, pointing to the historical and political view of the show, which points to the need to pay attention and learn from our past history, adds: “A character named “Syed Murad Khan Zand” who was not born The pseudo and misunderstanding with “Sayed” in the play is called “Sad Murad Khan”, this character means “Sayed Murad Khan Zand” and other kings in Zandiye who after Karim Khan Zand and before Lotf Ali Khan, the last member of the Zandiye dynasty. were appointed kings, if they did not seek power and selfishness, without a doubt, the story of Mohammad Khan Qajar would not have happened, and historical events would have happened in a different way after that. Even if the text of the play also mentions Fath Ali Shah Qajar and his inefficiencies in the administration of the country, that although he was one of the conquerors of the Caucasus during the time of Muhammad Khan Qajar, but after reaching the throne, he fell into lust and ruined the country and what which Muhammad Khan Qajar conquered with the help of Fath Ali Khan… We have a conflict with all these historical figures in the show and we want to tell the special and general audience with a knowledgeable look that we are obliged to keep The country of our existence and the country in which we live, let’s go to war with the demons inside us.
Applying unnecessary pressure and sensitivities to the operation of the smoke machine
The first part of the show “Smoke Machine” will be performed from 6th to 18th of April, and the next performance will continue from 1st to 29th of April in the Sangalj Theater. According to the director of this show, “the reception of this performance was good and there were positive and even negative and brief criticisms; Even on the nights of the performance, we saw that the tickets were sold out and the theater seats were filled in the Sangalj theater, which experienced a natural period due to the spread of the Corona virus.
The gunman, playwright and director of “Smoke Machine” answers the question that it seems that during the performance of the show, strictness or pressure was applied to the point that there were whispers about the suspension of the performance: “I was unaware of the possible suspension and in this context I didn’t hear any important issues directly, but on the nights of the performance, we had many warnings and audits, some of which were included and some of the sensitivities were unnecessary, inappropriate and unprofessional. The jokes in the text of the show, the story’s reference to solidarity, the fact that the heroes of the story are women, considering today’s conditions, are among the issues that sensitivities were created with the performance of the show. But I strongly disagree with these sensitivities and this type of look, because I wrote the plan for the smoke machine show in the winter of 1400, and it is very strange for me to apply such sensitivities.”
Talk to people instead of being strict
Referring to the free perception of every audience and spectator of the show and every performance, he emphasizes: “The audience can have a free and different perception and if we want to put a drill on the poppy and be strict in the current dissatisfaction situation, it is right and correct. It is not a tool because in the most civilized way possible, we can talk with people, hear and accept different opinions in theaters, concerts or any other community. I even told critical and worried friends that I think it is better to talk to each other instead of blocking the way of people talking.
This director evaluates the reflection of the opinions of the audience of the smoke machine performance on the Tiwal site as positive; “The show was well received by the cultural middle class, and of course there were a handful of critical comments and complaints that criticism is fully included in any performance or show, but even though I don’t have statistics and numbers, but by reading the points of view in Tiwal and speaking directly With the people in the theater, I can say without exaggeration that more than 90% of the audience, having different points of view and perceptions, liked the smoke machine, and some audiences got close to the mystical, political, or historical layers of the work and deeply The story of the smoke car arrived.”
Emphasizing the distance of Murshid “Balqis” from heavy male tones
In response to the question, “Tafangdar” states that you have given a lot of importance to women and the position of women in the Smoke Machine show: “Without a doubt, the importance of women and their position was the main goal, and people also understood this message and They received importance in the show because the protagonists are clearly women. Murshid “Balqis” and even “Zafran Baji” are real characters in history, and Murshid “Balqis” worked as a porter at the smoke machine station and entertained them by singing songs or telling stories. Of course, Murshid Belqis is not one of the most important or influential murshids in history, but this character, just like the character of “Zafran Baji”, one of Naseruddin Shah’s court singers, is a historical fact and an example for today.
“Weren’t you in trouble and restricted because of being a female mentor and storyteller?” It is a question that the playwright answers like this; “We didn’t face any special obstacles, and I wanted the narrator of this story to be Murshid Belqis. I borrowed from Murshid Belqis as a lesser-known historical figure and decided to be the Murshid of the female story. Of course, other women also work as porters and even officially porters, but they do not have a colorful presence and face obstacles. More importantly, I emphasized to the actor playing the role of Murshid “Balqis” that he should never, under any circumstances, engage in heavy male tones and strange exaggerations. I strongly disagree with the games full of exaggeration and exaggeration of men in the show that some female narrators apply. Our narrator is a strong and powerful woman who does not act like a man.”
Attention to women can also be seen in other works of Tafangdar; “The hero of the story in the play “Vera Named Tehmina Sohrab Kord”, which experienced a festival performance and was also performed in the Netherlands and Germany before the public performance in Tehran, is a woman.”
The risk of paralyzing society by applying a one-dimensional and gender perspective
This director and playwright, stating that at the same time I do not have a sexist and feminist view, but I want an egalitarian view and equal, reasonable and fair presence of both men and women, believes: “The time has come for the atmosphere and atmosphere of men.” In the show, it is stylized and divided into both male and female genders. I think about this issue a lot and I have done this in my existing works, and I am not and was not influenced by the events of today and yesterday. It is time to respect the presence of women and pay special attention to it. “Women are half of our society and half of our thoughts, and a one-dimensional view of each of them can paralyze the society.”
“Tafangdar” adds: “In mystical literature, Islamic mysticism, our myths, etc., or from any point of view, women have a special place. The position of Hazrat Zahra (pbuh) has a high position in Islamic mysticism and even the generation of the Prophet of Islam continues from a woman, so despite the importance of the privileged position of women, this issue has not been given much attention and the important role of women has been ignored knowingly or unknowingly. Is. Paying attention to the position and role of women in all the works, opportunities and fields in front of us is considered as a moral and human duty and I am sure that the societies where women are given the opportunity to play a role and more freedom are more advanced and in less countries We have also witnessed a lack of attention to the capabilities and talents of women in both the privileged and backward countries; To the best of my ability and as an artist, I try to rely and pay attention to this important issue, i.e. the direct impact and importance of the position of women in the all-round growth and development of societies, and to make the audience of my works familiar with this issue as much as possible.
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