TEHRAN – British playwright Polly Teale’s 2005 play “Brontë” has been published in Persian.

The book rendered into Persian has been published Ney publications in Tehran.  

The play is a compelling literary detective story about the turbulent lives of the Brontë sisters, their brother Branwell and their father Patrick. It also features characters from the sisters' novels such as Cathy and Heathcliff from “Wuthering Heights”.

In 1845, Branwell Brontë returns home in disgrace, plagued by his addictions. As he descends into alcoholism and insanity, bringing chaos to the household, his sisters write.

The play was staged at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, in 2005 and again in 2011.

In 2010, there was a production of “Brontë” at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, directed by Nancy Meckler. 

In 2015-2016 there was a production of the play by the Promethean Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, directed by Jaclynn Jutting.

A review published by The Times calls the play “Breathtaking… Riveting… a tantalizing glimpse through the window of a uniquely haunted family home.”

Daily Telegraph describes it saying it “soars on the wings of imagination.”

In addition, The Observer comments, “Succeeds magnificently… the idea of the novelists possessed by their writing is compellingly conveyed.”

Teale is also the artistic director of the British theater company Shared Experience. Her plays include “Mermaid” (based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen), “Mine”, “Speechless”, “After Mrs. Rochester” (winner of Time Out and Evening Standard Awards) and an acclaimed stage adaptation of “Jane Eyre”.

In 2002, Teale directed a production of Helen Edmundson’s award-winning play “The Clearing” at the Tricycle Theatre. 

In 2012, she directed Edmundson’s “Mary Shelley”, which was produced by Shared Experience on tour, including at the Tricycle Theatre and the Liverpool Playhouse.

Photo: Front Cover of the Persian translation of British writer Polly Teale’s play “Brontë”.

MMS/YAW