ABSTRACT

Shakespeare in Tehran is a personal history of Iran through the eyes of an award-winning Iranian American artist. Drawing on parallels between life and the stage, it uses A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a roadmap to explore social, political, economic, and cultural aspects of Iran before and after the revolution of 1979. Through first-person accounts, interspersed with emotional reflections of the universal human experience, it delves into the historical and sociological context of a divided country.

Storytelling, flashbacks, and flashforwards paint an intimate picture of public life in Iran in a time of uncertainty. Accessible, engaging, and nuanced, this volume will be of interest to scholars and researchers of politics, history, theater and performance studies, and West Asian studies.

chapter 1|6 pages

The Plane Ride

chapter 2|5 pages

At the Airport

chapter 3|10 pages

At Madar Jaan's

chapter 4|5 pages

The University Gates

chapter 5|3 pages

The Return Home

chapter 6|19 pages

The School of Fine Arts

chapter 7|12 pages

Inside the Studio

chapter 8|12 pages

Ascetic Theater

chapter 9|13 pages

Seven Stages

chapter 10|5 pages

The Words of Truth