The play ‘One was Nude and One Wore Tails’, directed by Ali Amel-Hashemi, is underway in Tehran.
A one-act “farce” by Dario Fo, Italian actor-playwright, the story is about a man escaping from the scene of a love affair and is forced to find a place to hide. The only available place is a dustbin on wheels, operated by a road sweeper. The two men engage in philosophical discussions while they work out how to find some clothes for the miscreant.
“As in all Fo’s work, serious ideas about society pigeon-holing its citizens are explored satirically, with great humor, slapstick and vaudeville-style song and dance,” Ana News Agency quoted Hashemi as saying.
Fo doesn’t preach or lecture, but instead uses clowns and buffoons to portray foolish social pretensions, “and criticizes people engrossed with appearance.” Drawing on pantomimic commedia-style performance, the characters play with ideas on philosophy, status, class and uniform; the idea that ‘You Are What You Wear’.
The text is adapted by Amir-Ali Nabavian, in a hilarious comedy portraying Iranian society’s problems and is suitable for all age groups. “Unfortunately in our society, excessive attention is given to clothes and appearance, and people are judged by what they wear”.
The cast includes Masoud Keramati, Hedayat Hashemi, Arastoo Khoshrazm, Mahshid Naseri and Emma Hashemi.
The play will be on stage until September 25 at Entezami hall at Iranian Artists Forum.
Dario Fo won the 1997 Nobel Prize in Literature. Arguably the most widely performed contemporary playwright in world theatre, much of his dramatic work depends on improvisation.
His plays have been translated into 30 languages and performed the world over.
