Attar’s Conference of Birds Coming Soon

Stage director Hadi KamaliMoqaddam will attend the 36th International Fajr Theater Festival (Jan. 18-29 in Tehran) with the play ‘Birds of Today’.

Co-written by Moqaddam and actress and documentarian Mina Bozorgmehr, the performance is based on ‘Mantiq-o-Tayr’ (Conference of Birds), a long and celebrated masterpiece of Persian literature by poet Attar of Nishabur (1145-1221), Mehr News Agency reported.

In the poem, the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their sovereign, as they have none. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggests that they should find the legendary Simorgh (a bird in Iranian mythology). The hoopoe leads the birds, each representing a human fault that prevents human kind from attaining enlightenment.

The hoopoe tells the birds that they have to cross seven valleys in order to reach the abode of Simorgh. These valleys are: valleys of quest, love, knowledge, detachment, unity, wonderment, and valley of poverty and annihilation respectively.

Finally, only thirty birds make it to the abode of Simorgh. In the end, the birds learn that they themselves are the Simorgh; the name “Simorgh” in Persian means thirty (si) birds (morgh). Attar’s masterful use of symbolism is a key, driving component of the poem.

Moqaddam says unlike typical performances, his play is not designed to be performed on stage but will take place at various locations within Vahdat Hall.

“The play begins in the set design workshop of Vahdat Hall, and then we move to the parking lot, area around the pond in the open grounds of the venue, the first lobby, the stairs and the second lobby of the venue respectively while the audiences accompany the actors,” the director explained.

Pardis Zare’, Samira Tolouei, Mahsa Sheikhi, Majid Niroumand, Sara Hosseini, Bahareh Dehqanipour, Parnia Abrishami and Saba Abrishami are in the cast. Moqaddam intends to stage the public performance of the play in spring.