American playwright Naomi Wallace’s acclaimed monologue “The Retreating World” will premiere in Sari, Iran, next month. The production will bring her powerful dramatic work about Iraq to a local Iranian theater audience. Furthermore, the four-day program will run from October 6 to October 9 in northern Iran. The Black Box Hall of Sari’s Culture Department will host all scheduled performances for local theatergoers.
Amir-Ali Shishegari serves as the director for this upcoming Iranian stage adaptation. Additionally, Parmida Sotoudeh translated the original text into Persian for local theater enthusiasts. Actor Reza Kamal will perform the entire monologue as the sole cast member on stage. Consequently, the performance relies heavily on his personal dramatic ability to captivate the audience throughout.
The 45-minute production centers on Ali, an Iraqi man in his late twenties reflecting on life. Specifically, the character recalls personal memories before, during, and after the 1991 Gulf War in Baghdad. Through this intimate single-actor narrative, the play explores the devastating civilian impact of war and economic sanctions. Therefore, the monologue connects individual human suffering with broader historical questions about international military conflict.
Naomi Wallace, a Kentucky-born playwright and poet, has earned wide international recognition for her political works. Furthermore, she previously taught literature and playwriting at prestigious global institutions like Yale University and UCLA. Her dramatic writing consistently examines social justice, human rights, and the harsh realities of global conflicts. Thus, bringing her work to Sari provides local audiences with a compelling international perspective on regional history.
Looking ahead, local theater organizers expect strong attendance during the scheduled October performance run. Furthermore, arts commentators believe this production will encourage further translations of contemporary international plays across Iran. Consequently, the upcoming staging highlights the vital role of local theater in exploring shared human experiences. Ultimately, the production promises to deliver a deeply moving experience before concluding on October 9.