The play ‘Coupon’ directed by Seyed Javad Roshan, staged at Tehran City Theater’s Sayeh Hall, criticizes social inequalities which exist in all societies.
Performed at the 32nd Fajr International Theater Festival two years ago where it was nominated for the best director, actor and script, ‘Coupon’ is finally having its performances for the public with a slight change in the script and a new actress instead of one in the original cast, Mehr News Agency reported.
Adopted from a fantasy comedy story by the French author Marcel Ayme, the play narrates the story of a city where due to some problems, life is rationed. Each category of the population is allocated a certain number of days per month to live depending on the work they do; citizens deemed “unworthy to live” receive coupons, each for one day of life in a month.
Soon, a coupon trafficking system emerges, (referring to the black market) to the detriment of the poorest class. However, there is a writer who receives five coupons a month but protests against the status quo and wants changes in the “normal” trend of his life.
The theme of social inequalities, the absurdity of social and racial discrimination is stressed in the story with immense irony and humor while provoking serious thinking.
Originally titled ‘La Carte’, the story was translated as ‘The Ration Ticket’ in English, published in La Gerbe in 1942. It reflects the feeling of absurdity and gloom felt by the population during the occupation in the Second World War.
Masoud Mirtaheri, Marzieh Sadrai, Fahimeh Amanzadeh and Khayam Vaghar Kashani are in the cast.
The play will be on stage till March 6 at the theater located at the junction of Valiasr St. and Engelab St.
