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"Death of Angelfishes"Theater Performance Review

Mohammad Hasan Khodaee

Death of Angelfishes is written and directed by Mohsen Ardashir in Iran’s Theatre Review Competition.

War is always a historical event. Result of powers and paradoxical benefits. It’s the logic of friend and enemy in its final meaning. That’s why in the representation of war, the question is which part is righteous and which part not? It’s as war is a battle between light and darkness. From this point of view, Death of Angelfishes, is an attempt to show one side of war. Though this war has occurred in the depth of sea and among fishes. White and red fishes. The classic battle is between good and evil. White fishes are living in the depth of sea and suddenly are captured by militarist executioner. Red fishes are monster like. They are the representative of military and depredator forces. Set design is imaginative and magnificent in this play. One red fish with shining eyes is at upstage. Sea is covered with soft and white and a seashell which is looted. And two mythic powers, one man and one woman. Anima and Animus in the world. But unfortunately this magnified scene is combined with unsuccessful narration that can not lead the internal power to the final destination. We can ask why there is no connection between narration and stage design. The answer is that the narration of play is not abstract. There is no setting. And it seems that the problem is Mohsen Ranjbar’s approach to performing. It means dehumanization of narration and shows the horrendous war in the depth of sea among fishes. Death of Angelfishes is being indifference to human’s suffering, time and place. We don’t know what kind of war we are faced with. Maybe it reminds us there is a war like all other types. But as we know each war is happened in special geography and of course at a certain time. It’s an abstract war here a bloody war among fishes. It’s the metaphor of war among human. Death of Angelfishes is defamiliarization in language. Fishes talk in an unclear language together. And it makes the understanding difficult. Words and structure is new. So audience may have various interpretation and concepts. It has a post modern approach that loves creating images and deconstruct language. Perhaps it was better not to have word on stage.  Death of Angelfishes is a violent play. Exaggerated acting, and some screams make a violent and tense performance. Even entering the clown with colorful clothes and funny gestures can not lower this tension. And finally Death of Angelfishes has a conservative approach to war.

 




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