Thespians to perform readings in memory of Hamid Samandarian

TEHRAN,May 20(MNA) -- A group of thespians will read seven plays translated by Hamid Samandarian to commemorate the first anniversary of the passing of the prominent Iranian stage director and playwright in July. The reading performances, which have been organized by the Iranian Theater Forum and the Iranian Artists Forum, will be held from July 12 to 19 at the Samandarian Hall of the Iranian Artists Forum. The veteran Iranian stage director and playwright Samandarian died of liver cancer at the age of 81 in Tehran on July 12, 2012. The name of plays and the directors will be announced in coming days, the member of the Iranian Theater Forum Afsaneh Mahian told . Samandarian translated several works by renowned English and German playwrights into Persian. He translated several works by Swiss playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt including “The Visit of the Lady”, “The Judge and His Hangman” and “The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi”. German dramatist Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” and Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie” are also among works that he translated. Samandarian taught several generations of Iranian directors, thespians, and dramatists who are currently among the big names in Iranian theater and cinema.