Iranian, Swiss troupes team up for joint performances on national myths

TEHRAN,June 26(MNA) – An Iranian troupe and a Swiss theater group plan to stage joint performances based on their national myths in Altdorf, Switzerland. Don Quixote Theater Troupe from Iran with Mass & Fieber troupe from Switzerland will stage “Tell/Zahhak” in Altdorf on July 27. The joint theatrical project is part of the Myth Exchange program, which has been organized for the celebration of 500 years of Wilhelm Tell plays in Altdorf. The three-part play is on Swiss folk hero Wilhelm Tell and the story of villain ruler Zahhak and the popular uprising against him by Kaveh the blacksmith. “The myth of Kaveh is associated with Zahhak in Persian literature, hence the Swiss troupe recognize the name ‘Zahhak’ as more appropriate for the play,” dramaturge Nasim Adabpur said in a press conference at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran on Sunday. “Tell/Zahhak” is composed of three parts. The Iranian troupe will perform the first part on Wilhelm Tell and the Swiss troupe will staged the second part on Zahhak. The last part of the play is a joint performance by two troupes, she said. Don Quixote and Mass & Fieber have been in contact for the project over the past two years via telephone and email. In early July, they will come together in Altdorf to rehearse for the performances. The troupes have worked out on their parts independently in previous rehearsals based on their own esthetic point of view, Don Quixote director Ali-Asghar Dashti said. Don Quixote left Tehran for Altdorf on Monday. Costume designer Mojgan Eyvazi and assistant director Shahab Anusha will accompany the troupe during the performances. Iranian members of the cast include Ramin Sayyardashti, Abbas Habibi, Mina Dorudian, Farbod Farhang and Arash Bozorgzadeh. David Berger, Silvan Jeger, Dominique Müller, Mareike Sedl, Nicole Steiner and Silvester von Hösslin are the Swiss members of the cast. Dashti said that the Swiss troupe is anxious to perform the play in Tehran. Niklaus Helbling will direct the Swiss part of the play, which has been written by Brigitte Helbling. Wilhelm Tell is a legendary Swiss patriot who was forced by the Austrian governor to shoot an apple off his son’s head with a bow and arrow. The story of Zahak and Kaveh has been narrated in the Persian poet Ferdowsi’s magnum opus Shahnameh. Kaveh is a mythical hero who fights the tyranny of the evil ruler Zahhak.