Passing through limits in theatre field

The study of sacrifice and martyrdom concepts in Iran and throughout the world with emphasis on eight years holly defense in an interview with Nasrollah Ghaderi

Have these conditions ever been applied as expected, regarding the special potential appeared on theatre area after war?
The holy defense theatre has been existed since imposed war started to happen. This sort of theatre has been entered into a new phase after years of holy defense but unfortunately it wasn’t provided with required facilities to be influential as expected. The lack of a fixed salon to perform theatre there is considered as one of the problems involved. Second, lack of artists working on this area as permanent is considered as a potential problem. Besides, there have been special groups in such area who took some advantages from the name of holy defense, got out this area afterwards and now are against with. That is why it hasn’t been developed as expected.
Some groups strongly believe that holding holly defense festival is an influential factor for such theatre to be developed. Was this festival successful to maintain the position of holy defense and the artists involved in?
Certainly, it is mainly due to holy defense festival that this theatre is now in such position. If it is questioned who central committees were and see whether or not they believed in such case, their potential impacts can hereby be studies. In my own opinion, some artists have been ignored and got away mainly due to the appearance of such groups in festival. Such groups and their decision-making personnel were those who chose artists in this area and didn’t strongly believe in it.
What happened that artists ignored in such field? Was it due to the kind of policy or behavior?
Well, the trend of holy defense has been directed towards such area based on what artists have been behaved with. In fact, they failed to defend the reality of war and holy defense. That is why we say if the names of central committees are being made known, all issues will be clear as best.
What happened that we see just a few plays on holy defense in a year?
It is easy to answer. Theatre isn’t to be ordered but it has to be created from the hearts of artists. It is natural when they have been abandoned and strongly insulted, they would have decided to get out such field.
May you mention some real examples of such case?
Well, there were many strong criticisms and insults on those working on holy defense area. I prefer not to say the name of any person but me. I wrote a play on holy defense area with all documents included even a document from Cultural Revolution council, saying such play is in conformity with martyrdom and sacrifice culture. But some groups in charge have considered it as against with holy defense which made me thoroughly involved in for many years though it has been approved by holy association for three years continuously. You will learn there were many like me who challenged with such case.
Why holy defense theatre field has been so limited? Why most artists are unwilling to work on such field even those who haven’t ever worked on such area? As mentioned, our artists may express the name of holy defense to remember it some times!?
That is mainly due to the fact those working on such area are being called as state employees rather than those following a special school of thought or ones working based on their own believes. People say they work for government while this is the government which works in compliance with such values and objectives. Artist is working on a field far way from politics. He/she wants to do the art as best.
As mentioned, the theatre world is considered as state in most countries throughout the world and the nations are required to support it. What solutions do you recommend for such issue; regarding the fact such support can attract the artists towards such field? Besides, we all work for Iranian people in conformity with the objectives of Islamic republic of Iran and can’t consider ourselves away from such system. It may be due to those being addressed!?
Well, this work doesn’t need any addressees. Holy defense is a concept which will be accepted by all people if performed in throughout the world as deserved. It is considered as a free thought because human beings are born to defend their own believes and countries. Which part of the world it is rejected at? Which statistics say it needs special addressees? If it is performed well, it will be welcomed as best. A new question arises: were there any special persons in eight years holly defense? Then why did all people attended in way after listening to their supreme leader’s words? Were basiji people among those special ones? Did only Muslims take apart in war? As you know, many Jewish, Zoroaster and Christian people were also martyred in war. So, there is no special concept in such case.
* The officials in charge have been frequently preoccupied with special addressees or spectators while special ones were most willing to work on holy defense theatre.
That is mainly due to the fact that performed works have been remained as motto. To me, holly defense theatre is as holly as holly defense itself since it hasn’t been worked on as expected. We still don’t know enough about the role of those being brave in war either in victory or failure. We also don’t know about the researches performed on such field. The works which are available now aren’t considered as a style of thought. That is why it has been abandoned.
• Don’t you think it is due to repeated war stories rather than the artists? Because when we see it closely, we will find most works follow a simple structure and thyme.
No, we had different periods in such field. One was during holy defense in which we defended it in our works. The second period happened in construction time. It is in this period that it was being criticized in a strong way. In khordad 2nd afterwards, we totally focused on asking questions about holly defense. In this period, we see some works and people in war who were subjected to chemical materials and are tired of life. But this isn’t the case. They have been neither strongly believed nor careless of time and life. There is no wrong with that but the real issue hasn’t been mentioned. To me, may or may’ not believe in holly defense theatre based on time.
• How did such event happen? Was it due to political issue?
Certainly, political atmosphere was of an influential impact on such case.
• How do you see the current time?
In this period, we defended on good and bad reality. Like past, in this period many genius artists have been abandoned and those punctual took the main domain in this area.
• How much was it harmful to the efficiency of holy defense theatre?
Nothing, holly defense is of an eternal entity which maintains it as best. Another question arises: isn’t the phenomenon of Hussein martyrdom still alive despite what have been done to hurt his dignity, even destroying his sepulcher? If so, holly defense can be ruined and spoiled.
Most works of other countries written and performed after war remained as live but we don’t see any valuable works among our performances. It is mainly due to the fact they all have been extracted from the heart and mind of writers rather than being ordered to be produced. Here, the works considered as ordered will not be accepted by people since they haven’t been extracted from the heart and mind of writer to be of interest.
• Why the relationship between form and content in holy defense works is quite different?
The problem is that we don’t know the form in holy defense (not in theatre as whole). In fact we don’t know whether this content matches with this form or not. We are basically weak on technique and technology fields.
• Do you think this issue is most related to play writers?
First, it can be related to the play writers. Second, we had good works with some faults inside which haven’t been allowed to be performed so that we could remove the problems included.
• How do you evaluate the name of this work with it’s all concept as holly defense?
In fact, we have literatures named resistance, defense and war throughout the world. No body defends from war but he/she may defend the holly defense imposed on us. The world knows that we, as a newly revolutionized country, are involving in an imposed way aimed at destroying out culture and nationality. So, we strongly defend from our country.
• Has holly defense theatre been successful to change into a genre or school of thought?
Never, not only in art and cinema but also in theatre and literature.
• Some groups believe that it is possible to change it into a genre. Is it possible?
They are joking. Genre is clear. It is a tragedy, melodrama and comedy. It is impossible to do so. It is different to say we can write a play in a way Shakespeare wrote. So, it is impossible to invent a new genre. It is a joke.
• This group believes that resistance theatre developed following the second world way in Europe. Is that true?
There hasn’t been any genre but a school of thought named expressionism which was against with war.
• But this trend wasn’t so glamorous in our theatre. What do you think about it?
That is true because it wasn’t allowed to be performed which was again mainly due to survey group’s perspectives on such case.
• How?
This group introduce and impose a work to persons in charge in which the artist in against with common believes and attitudes. As this happens, the artist will not go through it.
• Can we make and develop culture through such theatre?
Culture is now existent. Why do we make culture again? Did we attempt to do so when our supreme leader ordered us to attend in war? Was the rate of requests so much that they had to follow the turn-taking procedure? Culture is of no relation to knowledge but it is rooted from our blood during history.
• What is meant for insisting on culture-making?
It is the advertisement propaganda which has an expired date. In fact, the holly defense theatre should progress towards philosophical theatre. By philosophy, it is meant a way to make the addressees think deeply. As a result, we can stand against all other events imposed on us. According to our belief and Quran, we may be free of Jihad-e Asghar but not Jihad-e Akbar. This is also considered as a kind of Jihad.
• Were holly defense festivals successful in their objectives?
No, in reality but there have been some attempts which maintained it as alive. However, there have been some wrong policies which caused some potential problems. Theatre isn’t considered as a profession to make money and fame but as a pleasure to fresh mind and heart. That is why such theatre is still weak. It is the wrong policy which doesn’t allow such theater to be thoroughly developed.
• But this is against with what you said earlier. You said these are the festivals which maintained such theatre as alive and now you say these festivals may damage to such theatre?!
Undoubtedly, every live event may be harmful or may have some strong and weak points. It can’t be denied.