Post-revolutinary Iranian Theatre: Three Representative plays in translation with critical commentary

Abstract

This thesis gives a portrait of the theatrical activities in Iran after the Islamic Revolution of 1978, and discusses how theatre works within the Islamic Republic of Iran. Firstly, in order to gain familiarity with the country's political institution, there is a brief political history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Secondly, to understand the theatre's concerns and difficulties the general situation in post-revolutionary Iranian theatre is discussed. This includes sections on: Organization, Venues, Festivals, Islam and Theatre, Radio and Television, Theatre in the Universities, Theatre Publishing and Criticism, The Effect of War, Audience, Censorship, Statistics.

The third and major part of the thesis is the translation of three representative plays which have not previously been translated into English and belong to different periods of the Revolution, written by different playwrights.

1. The Fence within the Fence. By Mohssen Makhmalbaf. 1981.

2. The Steps. By Akbar Radi. 1989

3. The Tale of the Concrete City. By Abdolhay Shammassi. 1990.

Critical commentaries accompany each play.