TEHRAN- An adaptation of Russian filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky’s 2002 movie “House of Fools” will go on stage at a Tehran theater hall in Summer. 

Sahab Mohebali is the director of the play, which has been named “Lobotomy”. 

Mohammadreza Hassanzadeh, Sahar Haqshenas, Ehsan Sheikhi, Yasaman Mirzai and Mobina Soleiman Fallah are the main members of the cast for the play. 

Lobotomy, a once widely practiced and controversial medical procedure, involves the surgical removal or destruction of certain areas of the brain in an attempt to treat various mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. 

The procedure was popularized in the 1930s and 1940s by Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949 for his work. However, the effectiveness of lobotomy in treating mental illness was later called into question, and many critics argued that it was a barbaric and inhumane practice that often left patients with severe personality changes, memory loss, and a lack of emotional expression. 

"House of Fools" is set in a psychiatric hospital in the Russian republic of Ingushetia in 1996, on the border with war-torn Chechnya. The story takes place against the backdrop of a world in chaos, where the medical staff has abandoned the hospital, leaving the patients to fend for themselves. Amidst this chaos, Zhanna, a young woman with a vivid imagination, lives in the delusion that she is engaged to Bryan Adams, a famous pop star. Believing that he is on tour and will one day return to take her away, Zhanna takes on a maternal role among the other patients, trying to maintain order and happiness in the hospital.

The patients, blissfully unaware of the terror of the war raging outside, lead their own lives within the hospital walls. Their lives are filled with music, laughter, and a sense of community. Among them is Ahmed, a Chechen rebel who captures Zhanna's attention and gives her hope that he will be her future husband. As Zhanna falls deeply in love with Ahmed, she begins to prepare for their wedding with the help of her fellow residents.

However, fate has other plans, and Ahmed leaves Zhanna without explanation. Crushed and heartbroken, Zhanna returns to the "House", where she resumes her life among the patients. Through her experiences, Zhanna learns to come to terms with reality and find a new sense of purpose.

The film is a powerful exploration of human resilience and the capacity for hope and love in the face of adversity. Despite the chaos and uncertainty surrounding them, the patients in the hospital create their own world, filled with beauty, music, and joy. The film's portrayal of their lives is both poignant and uplifting, highlighting the strength of human connection and community.

SAB/