Topic: Iranian theatre

rss-iconSubscribe to feed
Cover of Nasser Kanani's "The Love Poetry of Hafez through the Lens of German Literature: Hafez and his German Devotees" (published in German by Königshausen & Neumann)

Iranian literature in Germany

Roses from Shiraz: German devotees of Hafez

For centuries, the great classical Persian author Hafez has inspired German writers. Translations, adaptions and homages have been created in his wake, and the process continues today. Nasser Kanani has published an expansive book on Hafez’ German devotees. By Gerrit WustmannMore

Professor Nasser Kanani on the Persian poet Hafez: "The joyful audacity of his spirit, the melody of his poetry"Caught between tradition and modernity: Will ancient poet Hafez win the "soft war" in Iran?Contemporary Iranian literature: Reading outside the box
The fourth "Tehran Book Fair without Censorship" was held at the same time as the Tehran Book Fair 2019. This exhibition denounces censorship and self-censorship in Iranian literature and culture (photo: DW)

Alireza Abiz' "Censorship of Literature in Post-Revolutionary Iran"

Iranian literature – the censor’s mindset

The Islamic Republic has a strict and often arbitrary system of censoring artistic and journalistic works. An in-depth investigation by writer Alireza Abiz uncovers the details and their impact on the book trade. By Gerrit WustmannMore

Contemporary Iranian literature: Reading outside the boxIran and its authors: The perils of writingWriters in Iran: Fighting a losing battleQantara dossier: Iranian literature
Theatre performance in Tehran (photo: Mehr)

Roxanne Varzi's novel "Last Scene Underground"

Finding freedom in the catacombs

"Last Scene Underground: an ethnographic novel of Iran" by Roxanne Varzi, an American associate professor of anthropology, tells the story of a group of students in Tehran who want to stage an illegal play underground. Marian Brehmer read the bookMore

Iranian cinema: Shining a light on inner conflictsInterview with the Iranian theatre director Amir Reza Kohestani: "In Iran, art fills a void"Interview with Iranian filmmaker Reza Dormishian: The rage of an entire generation on screen
A young Iranian woman holds up a banner emblazoned with the word ″Change″ (photo: AP)

Iran and its authors

The perils of writing

The history of modern Iranian literature has been shaped by censorship. Nonetheless, Iran is hoping to be guest of honour at the world′s leading book fair in Frankfurt in 2018. Amir Hassan Cheheltan, one of Iran′s best-known contemporary authors, describes how he copes with the situationMore

Amir Hassan Cheheltan's ''Tehran, Skyless City'': Reflecting the dark side of Iran's Capital Portrait Amir Hassan Cheheltan: A love-hate relationship with TehranMahmud Doulatabadi's "The Colonel": Bitter Reckoning with Iran's Past
The Iranian theatre director Amir Reza Kohestani (photo: Mani Lotfizadeh)

Interview with the Iranian theatre director Amir Reza Kohestani

1

"In Iran, art fills a void"

Amir Reza Kohestani is currently the most sought-after theatre director in Iran. David Siebert talked to him about censorship, the enthusiasm for theatre among young Iranians and the new cultural freedom under President RouhaniMore

Interview with the Egyptian theatre director Ahmed el-Attar: "Art changes thought in the long term"Interview with Iranian filmmaker Reza Dormishian: The rage of an entire generation on screenIranian cinema: Shining a light on inner conflictsThe Kurdish theatre company Teatra Si: Out of the cellars and onto the stageInterview with Thomas Ostermeier: "An Enemy of the People" in Istanbul