The Story of the Panda Bears to be staged in Tehran

‘The Story of the Panda Bears’ to be staged in Tehran

TEHRAN- Iranian director Maryam Amini is set to stage “The Story of the Panda Bears Told by a Saxophonist Who Has a Girlfriend in Frankfurt,” a play by Romanian-French playwright Matei Vișniec, at the Medea Hall of Tehran Theater.

The production, translated into Persian by Hanieh Rajabi and produced by Vahid Salekfard, will begin performances on Thursday.

Iranian actors Khayyam Vaqar Kashani and Ghazaleh Akrami will perform in the two-character play, which explores an unusual encounter between a man and a woman, unfolding over nine nights and blurring the boundaries between reality, memory and imagination.

The story begins when a man wakes up to find a woman beside him whom he does not recognize. Despite the uncertainty surrounding their encounter, he asks her to stay with him for nine nights. The woman eventually agrees, and the two embark on a strange and intimate journey that gradually raises questions about their identities, their relationship and the nature of their shared experience.

Rather than following a conventional dramatic structure, the play develops through a series of encounters between its two central characters. Their conversations and interactions gradually reveal fragments of their inner worlds, leaving audiences to interpret the events and the meaning of their connection.

The play’s surreal atmosphere and poetic dialogue are characteristic of Vișniec’s theatrical writing, which frequently combines elements of the absurd with reflections on human relationships, loneliness and the instability of reality. In “The Story of the Panda Bears,” the seemingly simple premise of a man asking a stranger to remain with him becomes a framework for exploring the need for companionship and the uncertainties that shape human encounters.

The nine-night structure also provides the drama with a sense of anticipation, as each meeting adds another layer to the relationship between the man and the woman. The audience is invited to piece together the significance of their exchanges while confronting the ambiguity at the heart of the narrative.

Born in Romania in 1956, Vișniec is a playwright, poet and journalist who has established an international reputation for his works exploring the absurdities of modern life, political realities and the human condition. He moved to France in 1987 and has since written extensively for the stage, with his plays translated and performed in numerous countries.

His dramatic works often employ fragmented narratives, symbolic imagery and unconventional situations to examine questions of identity, communication and existence. His writing combines philosophical concerns with theatrical experimentation, allowing directors to approach his texts through a range of interpretations.

“The Story of the Panda Bears Told by a Saxophonist Who Has a Girlfriend in Frankfurt” will remain on stage at the Medea Hall of Tehran Theater for a month.

SAB/

source: tehrantimes.com