TEHRAN -- Iranian playwright and director Nader Borhani-Marand’s Cyrus is being staged at the Main Hall of Tehran City Theater, offering a dramatic retelling of the life of Cyrus the Great, from his birth to the conquest of Ecbatana, the ancient Median capital. 
Produced by Amirhussein Shafiei, the production places one of antiquity’s most celebrated rulers at the center of a theatrical exploration of power, destiny, humanity and cultural memory.
Rather than focusing exclusively on the king, the play also brings lesser-known figures surrounding his rise to prominence into view. 
Hamidreza Azarang, who portrays Harpagus, a commander serving the Median king Astyages, describes his character as an overlooked force in the events that shaped Cyrus’s life. 
Harpagus’s decisions, he suggests, demonstrate how individuals acting behind the scenes can alter the course of history, sometimes at considerable personal cost.
For Azarang, the story also carries a contemporary resonance. He points to the enduring legacy associated with Cyrus and the principles attributed to his rule, stating that their continued relevance invites reflection on intolerance, social division and destructive anger in the present day. He also laments what he sees as the limited recognition of Cyrus’s legacy within Iran itself.
Other members of the cast approach the production through questions of character and human relationships. Mahmoudreza

 Rahimi, who plays Cambyses, Cyrus’s father, describes the role as an opportunity to explore paternal love and the difficult decision to entrust the future to a younger generation. 
He sees the story as an inversion of the tragic relationship between Rostam and Sohrab in Persian epic tradition: rather than a father unknowingly destroying his son, Cambyses recognizes his son’s potential and yields responsibility to him.
Rahimi characterizes Cyrus as a work driven by language, reason and dialogue, placing verbal expression at the heart of its theatrical approach. Amin Miri, who plays a shepherd, a high priest and a guard of Ecbatana, similarly highlights the dramatic importance of the figures who shape the protagonist’s journey.
The production has also attracted interest across generations, according to actress Niloofar Houshmand, who plays Spako, Cyrus’s nurse. She reports encouraging audience engagement among younger spectators, challenging assumptions that historical drama holds little appeal for them.
With its focus on a foundational figure of ancient Iranian history, Cyrus brings historical storytelling into dialogue with contemporary concerns. Its significance lies not simply in revisiting the past, but in asking how narratives of leadership, moral responsibility and cultural identity continue to speak to audiences today.