TEHRAN-The play “Stronger” written by Johan August Strindberg and directed by Mahsa Ganji has been staged at Da Theater Hall in Tehran.

“The Stronger” is an 1889 Swedish play consisting of only one scene. The main characters are two women: a "Mrs. X", who speaks, and a "Miss. Y", who is silent, an example of a dramatic monologue, Mehr reported on Tuesday.

It explores the power struggle evident in human psychology, confronting the audience with timeless themes of betrayal, infidelity and hierarchy working within a masculine hegemonic society.

The women present on stage are representative of fragments of one character’s mind. While some parts are incapable of action and controlled by their persona’s ‘agents’, others are capable of speech and autonomy facing the climactic confrontation of a destabilized relationship.

“The Stronger” has a dramatic intensity that few plays possess. Though but one character speaks, the souls of three are skillfully laid bare.

Ganji is also among the actors in the play including Hengameh Arjmand, Nazanin Hallajfar, Niloufar Sahi, Taban Asgari, and Niloufar Moayed.

August Strindberg (1849-1912) is Sweden's foremost dramatist. He was also a schoolmaster, journalist, writer of scientific and political treatises, writer of short stories, poet, essayist and painter.

As a dramatist Strindberg's chief strength lies not so much in dramatic technique as it does in his trenchant and searching power of analysis of the human mind. His chief plays are very exact and narrow views of the feminine soul. Some of his own domestic bitterness finds expression in the feminine studies in his plays. He is very fond of showing the power of one character over another. 

A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty plays and more than thirty works of fiction, autobiography, history, cultural analysis, and politics during his career, which spanned four decades.

A bold experimenter and iconoclast throughout, he explored a wide range of dramatic methods and purposes, from naturalistic tragedy, monodrama, and history plays, to his anticipations of expressionist and surrealist dramatic techniques.

From his earliest work, Strindberg developed innovative forms of dramatic action, language, and visual composition. He is considered the "father" of modern Swedish literature.

In addition to “The Stronger,” Strindberg’s important one-act plays include “The Outlaw,” “Countess Julie,” “Creditors,” “Pariah,” and “Facing Death”. 

“The Stronger,” which had its first performance on Monday will remain on stage till September 29. Da Theater Hall is located at No. 5, the first dead-end, Khark Street, Enqelab Street.

SS/SAB