TEHRAN – A number of top officials were present at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Friday night to see “Nightmares and Memories of a Bath Attendant about the Life and Murder of Amir Kabir”, director Ali Rafiei’s play on Qajar era reformist prime minister Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir.

The officials included First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, Transport and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhondi, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmud Vaezi.

Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani and director of Dramatic Arts Center Mehdi Shafiei also accompanied the officials on Friday, the Persian service of ILNA reported.

The play centers on the life story of Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir, the reformist prime minister of Qajar king Nasser ad-Din Shah for the first four years of his reign. Rafiei had previously directed the play in 1978.

The officials later visited and held talks with the cast and crew members backstage.

“Theater has always been a source of inspiration for the people of Iran. We need to help promote theater and encourage the theatrical figures to be fresh and create new productions,” Jahangiri said.

“It has been a long time since I had a chance to watch a play. I think it was perfect, the directing and the acting, if I am not exaggerating,” he added.

The play is based on “Amir Kabir”, Iranian author Fereidun Adamiat’s biography of Amir Kabir, who was one of the most capable and innovative figures to appear during the entire Qajar period.

RM/YAW
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