TEHRAN — Iran’s theatre scene is welcoming audiences back with two productions exploring very different theatrical experiences: a psychological drama inspired by Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential classic No Exit and an interactive outdoor performance designed for families.
“Frankel in Sartre’s Hell” has resumed performances at the Black Box Theatre of Iran Mall after a brief interruption, with shows scheduled from July 12. Directed by Daniel Ziabakhsh and produced by Maziar Deylami, the production runs for 90 minutes and is scheduled for a 40-night engagement.
The play draws inspiration from Sartre’s No Exit, one of the most influential works of 20th-century existentialist theatre. The original play is known for its exploration of human judgment, personal responsibility and the psychological pressures created by relationships with others, particularly through Sartre’s famous idea that “hell is other people.”
In the Iranian adaptation, the production approaches the concept of hell through a psychological horror framework, using movement, atmosphere and elements of fear to create an experience centered on inner conflict and human perception.
The performance combines psychological drama with horror elements, with its creators describing it as an attempt to explore a form of theatrical expression
rarely experienced on Iranian stages. The production also features a theatre gallery supporting children affected by epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic skin condition.
The cast includes Daniel Ziabakhsh Deylami, Sofia Boulhasani, Mahya Oraei, Amirhussein Shabani, Muhammadreza Pishkhani and Hamid Salehi-Yousefabadi, alongside a group of movement performers.
Meanwhile, “The Old Woman and the Adventurous Forest” is preparing to open at the Niavaran Cultural Center’s garden on July 14. Directed by Muhammad Amin Kashani, the production offers a different approach by combining outdoor theatre, audience participation and storytelling.
The play follows an elderly woman who is left behind after her daughter’s wedding ceremony and encounters a series of adventures while attempting to make her way through the forest to reach her daughter’s home.
Featuring actors including Soha Anafjeh, Shapour Shishegar, Kimia Ghaedi, Melina Zamani, Barsam Fathi and Maziar Aghalar, the production is presented as an interactive experience in which audiences are invited to move alongside performers rather than remain traditional seated spectators.
Kashani described the production as an effort to create a new form of family theatre, particularly after a period of social tension and hardship. He said the performance aims to reconnect children and families with movement, color and collective experiences.
The show breaks from conventional stage arrangements by allowing audiences to choose their own spaces in the garden, using either personal seating or facilities provided by the venue. Combining folk songs, live movement and environmental performance, the production seeks to blur the boundary between stage and audience.
Together, the two productions represent contrasting directions in contemporary Iranian theatre: one turning toward existential questions, psychological tension and experimental performance, and the other toward communal storytelling and participatory family entertainment.