REVIEW: Banned in Iran, Nassim an experimental trip at the Citadel
Nassim Soleimanpour is something of a world-wide theatrical phenomenon. The Iranian playwright now has several international hits to his credit. Alas, his own country has never seen his work – he’s banned back home.
His latest play, simply titled Nassim, has played in many venues including both the West End and Off-Broadway – where it was featured at the New York City Center. Both the play and the playwright are running until May 5 in The Club at the Citadel Theatre.
Like his first hit White Rabbit Red Rabbit (which he never saw because he was not allowed to leave Iran at the time; he’s currently living in Germany), the play uses a clever device to involve both a guest actor and the audience. The guest performer doesn’t see the script – which sits in a white box bearing the name of the selected guest. The performer reads what he or she sees – stage directions are written into the script – manipulated by the playwright, who remains an amiable, if silent, off-stage presence for some of the evening. Nassim turns the pages of the script, which are projected on a large screen at the back of the stage.
It many sound a little awkward – but it’s not. In fact, much of the genuine humour in the first half of the 70-minute show comes from the relationship between the actor and the lines he or she is called upon to read. For example, when asked to come up with a naughty word, the actor does. The next page asks for a definition. Much of the experience lies in discovering the ingenious ways a playwright without much English can communicate with an actor without any Farsi (as well as members of the audience). Later Nassim joins the performer on stage, and although still silent he brings a self-effacing, almost shy presence to the remainder of the night.
The experience is no doubt a major challenge to the actor. Nassim invites a different performer each night.
On the night when we saw this, he was fortunate to have selected Belinda Cornish (right) – also an award winning playwright well practiced in the art of instant theatre, having worked in improv for years and as an actress in many productions. She approached the challenge with her usual disarming manner and quicksilver sense of humour, and it didn’t take more than a few moments for the performer (and the audience) to get over the “gimmick” idea to realize that the work is a rather charming, playful and whimsical encounter.
Other local performers who will participate before Nassim ends its short run include Jeff Haslam, local activist Nasra, Farren Timoteo, Sarah Chan and John Ullyatt.
Nassim uses language as a bridge to establish a dialogue between writer, performer and audience – as we all struggle to make ourselves understood in a new way. Easily, and with a great sense of fun and childlike discovery, we learn the freedom and tyranny of language. We are the way we speak and the play is a meditation on how it can help us to find humanity in our differences and similarities. Words can keep us apart – or hold us together.
You’ll even learn a bit of Farsi – at least enough to participate in a short and very touching fable.
Nassim is obviously committed to his simple yet profound material and it’s an attitude ably picked up and embellished by Cornish. At one point he thanks her for giving him a voice. The two are so good with each other they might consider working up an act and taking it on the road.
At the end, audience and performer (and seemingly the playwright) were moved.
