TEHRAN- A musical adaptation of the English author Neil Gaiman’s 2002 novella “Coraline” will go on stage in a Tehran theater next month.

Omidreza Sepehri is the director of the play, which will be taken to the stage after a year and a half of rehearsal, Mehr reported. 

"Coraline" is a dark fantasy horror novella that follows a young girl named Coraline Jones who moves into a new home with her parents. Their new residence is an old house divided into flats, inhabited by quirky neighbors, including two retired actresses, Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, and an eccentric man known as Mr. Bobo.

Coraline's life becomes mundane and frustrating as she struggles to gain her parents' attention, who are often distracted by their work. One day, during a rainy afternoon, she discovers a locked door in her living room, which is bricked up. Despite warnings from Mr. Bobo's mice about the dangers behind the door, and Miss Spink’s ominous predictions after reading her tea leaves, Coraline's curiosity compels her to unlock it when she is alone at home. To her surprise, she finds a passage that leads to a parallel world, eerily similar to her own.

In this "Other World," Coraline meets her Other Mother and Other Father, who are perfect versions of her real parents, offering excessive attention and affection. However, their exaggerated features, particularly button eyes, unsettle Coraline. This new reality initially seems enticing; her Other Parents pamper her, toys come to life, and the world is colorful and vibrant. However, the allure quickly fades when the Other Mother reveals her true intentions: she wants Coraline to stay forever and have buttons sewn into her eyes. Horrified, Coraline escapes back to her own world, only to discover that her real parents have vanished.

With the help of a mysterious talking black cat, Coraline learns that her parents are trapped in the Other World, and it is her mission to rescue them. The cat guides her back to confront the Other Mother, allowing Coraline to challenge her in a game. The stakes are high: if Coraline wins, she can free herself, her parents, and the souls of three ghost children trapped by the Other Mother. If she loses, she must give in to the Other Mother's demand.

During the game, she faces various obstacles and uses clever tactics, as well as a lucky adder stone given to her by Miss Spink, to locate the lost souls of the ghost children. They warn her that even if she wins, the Other Mother may still try to keep them imprisoned. Ultimately, Coraline deduces that her parents are trapped in a snow globe on the Other Mother's mantelpiece. By tricking the Other Mother, she manages to reclaim the snow globe and escapes back to her own world, slamming the door behind her and severing the Other Mother’s hand in the process.

Back in her own world, Coraline finds her parents safe, albeit with no memory of their captivity. However, that night she dreams of the ghost children, who alert her that the Other Mother’s severed hand is still trying to regain the key that connects both worlds. To prevent further danger, Coraline leads the hand to a well in the woods and casts it down, ensuring her safety and reaffirming her courage.

"Coraline" wraps up with her returning to her ordinary life, now fully appreciating and loving her real home and parents, having faced and overcome the darkness of the Other World. The novella explores themes of bravery, the complexities of family dynamics, and the idea that one should value reality, even with its imperfections, over alluring fantasies.

In 2009, director Henry Selick released a critically acclaimed stop-motion film adaptation of "Coraline," which saw moderate box office success. The film received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards but lost to Pixar's "Up." While the adaptation features notable changes—such as the Beldam transforming the Other Father into a pumpkin—it largely adheres to the book's original plot. 

The story has also inspired various theatrical adaptations. A musical, featuring music and lyrics by Stephin Merritt with a book by David Greenspan, premiered off-Broadway in 2009. A new musical adaptation is also set to premiere at the Leeds Playhouse in 2025.

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