TEHRAN- A total of 64 street theater productions from 26 Iranian provinces are being staged across the country as part of the “Narration of Epic” program, which is being held alongside Sacred Defense Week to commemorate the experiences and sacrifices of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war through the language of theater.
Organized as part of the programs of the 20th International Resistance Theater Festival, the “Narration of Epic” street theater event began on Tuesday, September 22, and will continue through October 1, bringing performances to different cities across Iran.
According to the secretariat of the Resistance Theater Festival, the program has been organized to commemorate the memory of those who fought during the eight-year war and to promote the culture of resistance through street and environmental theater. The performances are being presented in public spaces, allowing theater to move beyond conventional venues and reach audiences in their everyday surroundings.
The organizers say the event seeks to strengthen the connection between epic themes and the general public by making use of the possibilities offered by outdoor performances. It also provides a platform for street theater artists from different parts of the country to present their works and explore creative approaches to subjects related to war, sacrifice, resistance and collective memory.
The participation of 64 productions from 26 provinces gives the program a nationwide character, reflecting the geographical diversity of Iranian street theater and the capacity of artists outside Tehran to contribute to resistance-themed cultural events.
The program is taking place during a period traditionally associated in Iran with the commemoration of the Sacred Defense. The Iran-Iraq war began on September 22, 1980, when Iraqi forces invaded Iran, and continued for eight years before ending in 1988. In Iran, the conflict is referred to as the Sacred Defense, and the anniversary of its beginning is commemorated annually through cultural and artistic programs across the country.
Theater has long been among the artistic forms used in Iran to preserve and reinterpret memories of the war. Alongside stage productions, street theater has provided artists with a way to present historical and social themes in direct contact with audiences in public spaces.
The “Narration of Epic” program is being held as the 20th International Resistance Theater Festival gets underway. The festival officially kicked off in Tehran on September 21 at the Azadi Tower, launching an edition that brings together theatrical works and related cultural and educational programs under the broader theme of resistance.
The 20th edition has been organized under the banner “Iran, An Eternal Stage of Resistance” and includes several sections, among them playwriting, stage theater, street theater, scientific and research activities, workshops and an international section. The festival is being directed by Mohammad Kazemtabar and is being hosted in Tehran and other Iranian cities.
At the opening ceremony, festival secretary Mohammad Kazemtabar announced that more than 20 stage productions dealing with the theme of the recent war would be presented during the festival. The ceremony also featured a tribute to theater, cinema and television artist Kourosh Zarei and the unveiling of “8 Scenes of the Ramadan War,” a collection of eight new plays by Iranian theater writers focusing on the events of the conflict.
The Resistance Theater Festival has developed over two decades as an event centered on themes including the Sacred Defense, the Islamic Revolution and broader concepts of resistance. Its organizers have also sought to expand the festival beyond conventional theater productions by incorporating workshops, research programs and street performances.
The current edition’s call for submissions highlighted themes ranging from the experiences of the Sacred Defense and the lives of martyrs and fighters to Palestine, Gaza, the role of women in resistance and contemporary events. The festival’s research section is also intended to encourage academic and interdisciplinary discussion about resistance theater and its social and cultural functions.
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