TEHRAN-The play “Romulus the Great” written by Friedrich Dürrenmatt is being performed at Mehrab Theater in Tehran.

Mojtaba Tabatabaei has directed the play and performs in it along with Fatima Joudaki, Omid Mojtahedi, Arman Nessehifar, Zahra Labafian, Laleh Zolfaghari, Mahsa Esmaeili, and Ali Panahi among others.

Written in 1950, it is an unhistorical historical comedy in four parts. It shows the demise of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century – taking place during the day of (and the day following) the Ides of March, 476.

The Roman empire is collapsing although that does not bother imperator Romulus much. Even with the rapid advances of the Germanic troupes lead by General Odokar, he intends to have his breakfast without being interrupted by bad news. The most important things in his life are his chickens (all named after great Roman imperators or philosophers) and how many eggs they produce. The breeding of his chickens has become his one and only passion.

Ever since Romulus took over the governance of the Western Roman Empire some 20 years ago, he has only ever taken her of his clucking hens.

His palace is just as run down as the whole country. Not long ago the minister of finance has made away with the treasury, leaving Romulus to pay his staff with the last leaves of his golden laurel crown.

Romulus' wife Julia and the remaining court are very worried about all the reports of threats to their world and urge their imperator to DO SOMETHING.

But, alas, Romulus does not want to. He is not even willing to take up Cäsar Rupf's ─ who happens to be a very rich pants manufacturer ─ offer to invest millions into Rome's rescue in exchange for Romulus' daughter's hand in marriage and a law making wearing pants a civic duty.

The imperator's laziness and lack of interest drive his allies insane. But there is something they do not know: Romulus' ostensible lethargy is part of a grander scheme. He is working deliberately on the downfall of the Roman empire because he does not deem it worthy of continuing to exist ─ and he has decided to be the judge of his depraved homeland himself.

Friedrich Dürrenmatt's comedy takes place from the morning of March 15th until the morning of March 16th, 476, and has some bearing on the demise of the Roman empire in the Fifth century A.D. Yet it is only a vague reference to the actual historical events.

Instead, Dürrenmatt uses the premise for an amusing yet analytically astute thought model showcasing the downfall of highly developed civilizations because of their own satiety and arrogance they present to the world.

Dürrenmatt edited this timelessly relevant text regularly until 1980. The setting and characters in “Romulus the Great” are designed with a certain absurdity and comicality. At the same time the narrative about the “imperial chicken breeder” and “world's judge in a fool's costume” allows the grotesque and perceptive analysis of political and societal cohesion to shine through.

Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theater whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant-garde dramas, philosophical crime novels, and macabre satire.

“Romulus the Great” will remain on stage through February 21 at Mehrab Theater, located at the junction of Imam Khomeini and Vali-e Asr streets.

SS/