Iranian troupe to stage adaptation of “Hamlet”

October 11, 2023 - 16:57

TEHRAN –An Iranian troupe plans to perform an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” at the Nazerzadeh Kermani Hall of the Iranshahr Theater Complex in Tehran on Friday. 

Elika Abdolrazzaqi is the director of the play, which has been translated into Persian by Mahmoud Etemadzadeh, also known as Beh-Azin.

Sadaf Asadollahi, Mohammad Tajik, Mehdi Hekmati, Shahriar Kanani, Ali Khayyam, Bita Rahmani, and Hamed Khorramabadi are the main cast for the play, which will remain on stage for a month. 

"Hamlet" tells the story of Prince Hamlet of Denmark who is plagued by grief and anger over his father's death. His uncle, Claudius ascends the throne and marries his widowed mother, Gertrude. Hamlet's father's ghost visits him, revealing that he was murdered by Claudius. This leads Hamlet on a quest for revenge, but he struggles with his own sanity and the morality of his actions. 

As the play progresses, Hamlet's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, causing those around him to question his mental state. Hamlet is torn between his desire to avenge his father and his feelings of betrayal toward his mother. His obsession with seeking revenge ultimately leads to the tragic end of the play, resulting in the deaths of several of the main characters.

"Hamlet" is one of the most frequently performed plays across the world. Its popularity is due to the play's universal themes such as grief, love, betrayal, and revenge. Shakespeare's work has been adapted and performed in various languages and productions have been staged across Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. The play has also been made into films, operas, and even ballets.

"Hamlet" has also been performed on stage in Iran several times. In recent years, "Hamlet" has been performed by both professional theater groups and university drama clubs, with some adaptations to fit the norms of Iranian culture.

SAB/