For Me, Theatre Is About Form and Structure
Payam Rezaei
Jalal Tehrani is one of the most respected and recognizable names in contemporary Iranian theatre, closely associated with Maktab-e-Tehran. He has created a unique artistic universe that has become the defining hallmark of his work. After several years away from the Iranian stage, Tehrani returned not only as a playwright and director but also as an educator, establishing Maktab-e-Tehran as a space for nurturing young artists. Throughout his career, he has cultivated a loyal and discerning audience.
Tehrani left Iran at the height of his success, having already established himself as one of the country’s most innovative theatre artists. Upon his return, however, his role expanded beyond creating performances. Through Maktab-e-Tehran, he dedicated himself to mentoring and empowering a new generation of theatre practitioners.
As Tehrani himself explains:
“Maktab-e-Tehran creates an environment where students learn from one another and discover their own talents. Art itself cannot simply be taught. Anyone who wants to become an artist must work, study—not necessarily only in their own discipline, but in many others—develop themselves, and learn to respect both their craft and themselves.”
These words summarize both the philosophy of Maktab-e-Tehran and Tehrani’s own artistic outlook.
His latest production, The Season for Kite-Hunting, is a one-person play that premiered at the Main Hall of Tehran City Theater, starring Behnoosh Tabatabaei. In an interview with Etemad, Tehrani explained why he chose to stage this work:
“While managing Maktab-e-Tehran, I wanted our theatrical projects to continue without interruption. I thought that producing a one-person play would allow me to keep creating theatre while also managing the school.”
Anyone familiar with Jalal Tehrani’s work knows that he approaches theatre through a highly distinctive artistic philosophy. As he himself says:
“I have never been interested in theatre primarily because of its themes. For me, theatre is fundamentally about form and structure. I have never approached it from a thematic perspective. As a formal experiment, this work represented a new experience for me.”
A one-person performance is a significant challenge for both director and actor. Successfully staging such a production is often regarded as a sign of artistic maturity and technical mastery—especially when the playwright and director are the same person.
Behnoosh Tabatabaei, who performs the piece, describes the experience this way:
“It was incredibly exciting for me. If I’m not mistaken, I had heard that only Mr. Pesiani had previously performed a one-person play on the Main Hall stage. That alone made the experience even more exciting—and much more demanding. But knowing Mr. Tehrani’s approach, I realized that the best thing an actor can do is surrender to his vision and lose oneself in the text.”
Speaking about the play in another interview with Etemad, Tabatabaei emphasized how difficult it is to describe Tehrani’s work:
“Jalal Tehrani’s plays cannot really be explained. Every audience member has to experience them personally and arrive at their own interpretation. His works create a world that is both familiar and strangely unfamiliar, and everyone encounters it differently.
That was true of Cinderella as well. We tried to sustain that atmosphere until the very last performance. As an actor, I discovered something new every night. Even after the production ended, I felt that my understanding of it was still incomplete because it allowed for so many different interpretations. Ultimately, each audience member experiences it through the lens of their own imagination.”
Tabatabaei explains that Tehrani first approached her about the project in the autumn of the previous year. She read the script in February, and rehearsals gradually began.
“At first rehearsals weren’t continuous because I was filming a television series while also rehearsing one of Mr. Rahmanian’s productions. Later, however, our rehearsals became regular, and we were able to focus fully on the work.”
She also describes working with Tehrani as one of the most rewarding experiences of her career:
“One of Mr. Tehrani’s greatest strengths is that he always knows exactly what he wants, yet he never imposes it on the actor. Instead, he guides you gently through subtle techniques until, almost without realizing it, you’ve arrived exactly where he intended. As an actor, you experience the joy of making the discovery yourself.
During the rehearsals for Cinderella, we experimented freely with our own ideas and improvisations. Yet somehow, all of us were gradually moving toward the same destination—the one the director envisioned and the play required. It’s an incredibly beautiful and enjoyable process: a kind of quiet guidance that never feels controlling or restrictive.”
In addition to his work in theatre, Jalal Tehrani is also an accomplished screenwriter. His screenplays include It Rains in Hell, The Complete Story, Carrie, and Merci. His distinctive artistic vision is just as evident in his film writing as it is in his theatre. Merci, for example, tells the story of a genie who comes to Tehran to grant the wish of an elderly man—only to discover that the old man has no wishes left.
All that remains is to see how The Season for Kite-Hunting, as a solo performance on the stage of Tehran City Theater’s Main Hall, demonstrates the artistic abilities of both its director and its performer. Given Jalal Tehrani’s remarkable body of work, there is every reason for optimism. Behnoosh Tabatabaei has likewise shown that, when paired with a compelling text and inspired direction, she is capable of delivering exceptional performances. The production opened in mid-July.