ABSTRACT

In September 1927, more precisely on Saturday night, 18 Shahrivar 1306, the new and splendid theatre hall of Tabriz, the Red Lion and Sun, was inaugurated in the presence of Reza Shah himself. A large and cheerful crowd had gathered, comprising local celebrities and outstanding members of the town's society. When the curtain rose, a scenic landscape depicting the mountains and forests of Iran could be seen. It was populated by actors wearing different ethnic costumes: Kurds, Lurs, Arabs and Qashqa'is who later on were to join in national solidarity. The tableau also featured a lonely soldier standing on a hill, with the Iranian flag in his hand and, slightly above him, a personification of the Mother of the Homeland. With her crown she added a serene and solemn atmosphere to the scene. The presentation of the picturesque play The Mother of the Homeland or the Rise of Iran's Happiness was concluded with a fiery and energetic speech by its director, Buyuk Khan Nakhjavani, who called for the development of culture and arts, and raised much applause. The second part of the evening, perhaps more to the taste of the audience, offered a performance of Molière's The Doctor in Spite of Himself (Tabib-e ejbari) (Le docteur malgré lui). Reza Shah reportedly did not stay for the final act and left early. 1