L’Envers du Décor (Behind the Scenes), a 2016 play by French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller is underway at Shahrzad Theater in Tehran.
The play, staged by theater director Ali Sarabi, is on its second run (first staged on December 25, 2017-February 4, 2018). But as the ticket sales indicate, the play remains popular with the audience interested in the minutiae of a married life challenged by a tempting situation.
Zeller, 38, quickly became one of France’s most celebrated contemporary playwrights. “Behind the Scenes” opened in Paris in January 2016 and was known to be a less serious comedy than “The Father,” his earlier play.
Behind the Scenes focuses on the tensions romance causes within a group of friends. The play was originally well-received in Paris and the same is true in Tehran. However, some of the attractions of the Tehran performance can be attributed to Sarabi for introducing alterations and additions to the play.
The director, who performs one of the four roles in the play, has innovatively dealt with restrictions existing for theater and drama in the country. He has turned the limitations into opportunities by playful mise-en-scenes, clever puns and on-stage commentaries.
Sarabi plays the pivotal role of Daniel who prompts his wife Isabelle to invite a friend to dinner. So Patrick comes over with Emma, a young attractive girl he has newly married after separation from his ex-wife. Rima Raminfar plays Isabelle. Emma is acted by Maral Bani-Adam, and Pejman Jamshidi is Patrick.
Zeller has used a light tone to surprise the audience with sudden and serious challenges. Daniel and Isabelle seem to be living their simple, peaceful life, until Emma comes in eliciting hatred from Isabelle and fascination by Daniel.
The story is sad, pathetic and shockingly comical as the characters do not know what lies in store for them as events unfold.
While Zeller has based the play on words and cares little about physical action, Sarabi adds subtle ironies and word-plays particularly targeting an Iranian audience. With additions removed, the Persian adaptation would rather lose a great deal of its charm.
Behind the Scenes will run through May 18 at Shahrzad Theater located at the intersection of Neauphle-le-Chateau and Razi streets. Tickets are available at Tiwall.com.
