In an interview with "Mahmoud Farhang"

Some Parts of Oral History in the Field of Sacred Defense Theatre (II)

Interviewer: Mehdi Khanbanpoor
Compiled: Mariam Rajabi
Translated by Fazel Shirzad

2016-12-3

Did some groups took part in these preformation?

Yeah. At the end of preformation to receive gifts from students of martyrs family such as their martyred uncle's bag or handkerchief etc., Some groups were affected.

Did you remember when you performed these plays?

Yes, I did. It was decade of the eighties. It means it was about 12 years ago and around the year 1383 (2004) or 1384 (2005). My next play was about the war at the beginning of Islam religion. At the begging of Islam religion, when the unbelievers and heathen people attack al-Anbaz city and killed the Muslims and Shia; therefore, Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBHM) commanded to jihad, and he tried to gather the Muslims. They came together in the Nakhile. It was done to analyze the war in Nakhile; the decision of followers (Sahabeh. The decision of Ali ibn Abi Talib about who should be placed in front of war or in middle of war, and who should be placed on the left or right side of war. This play was performed for 3 years in the month of Ramadan every year in which one hundred of the plays were performed at Vahdat amphitheater.

What was the name of the play?

It was named "the morning adhan" by Mahdi Tavasoli, and I was the director of it. Mr.Naser Forogh and Anushirvan Arjomand had role in the play. But they have passed away.

After beginning of Iraqi imposed war against Iran, bulwark theatre was first festival in Kermanshah city. I was a referee in festival. Next festival named "Basij's flower- face fighters" performed after liberalization of Sannaddaj city. I remember that all the walls was holed by enemy, and Mr. Rahim Safari, who was the commander of Kurdistan's Sepah in those days, came for end of the festival. The next festival named "Ashuraian". It was about sacred defence performed by Foundation of Preservation and Dissemination for Islamic values. I was one of members of festival's referee and board for 13 times. I also was referee the festival of sacred defense and festival of resistance.

When the Iraqi imposed war against Iran was stared. The festival of Fajr theatre was first festival held in 1360 (1981). From the year 1360 to decade of seventies, I was responsible for Sacred Defence Theatre. Even I invited some of the Shia people from the south of Lebanon to work on festival of sacred defense theatre; and I was responsible for these groups.

I established a center named "the center of street theatre" and I was responsible for it for 11 years. In those years, sacred defense theatre was one of the major parts in street theatre activities. In fact, we performed the sacred defense theatre publicly at parks of Tehran. Sometimes we performed a lot of plays inasmuch as the groups started to work throughout Tehran one month before Fajr international theater festival. Basij's festival has been held up to now. For some festival, I was one of the members of referee and board. The festival were sometimes held in the region of war. And I had the honor to perform play for fighters. Sometimes in Foundation of Preservation and Dissemination for Islamic values, there was a council as "the council of policy-making for sacred defense theatre" where I had worked there for 3 years. We performed another festival in which Mr. Muhammad Kasebi, Muhammad Kianian and Morteza Sarhang were referee of the festival and I was in charge of planning management as well. It was one of the cool festival of sacred defense held at the community center of resistance.

When the street theatre was established, almost all festival involved the street theatre such as the festival of sacred defense theatre have being held in Khorramshahr city, has a very active street theatre group when the program" Rahian Noor" (passengers of light) was executed in the country, some groups came to around the country's board, and started to performed some play there. As a matter of fact, some plays performed in 4 or 5 places and with 60 or 70 artists for 2 hours in the field of sacred defense in Khuzestan city. Last month, we also held some classes in the field of stage direction, artist, special, décor, light and voice, and it was really useful. With help of Basij organization and using some teacher, for people who wanted to practice in the field of sacred defense. I was responsible for stage direction class and Mr. Karim Akbarian Mubarakeh was also responsible for acting class.

I also saw some of the photos of some plays performed during the war and in the region of war such as Hosseinieh Hajj Hemat in Do Koheh. Who did plan these plays? Were there any people or organizations to protect the plans? How did the groups go and play in the region of war?

We held two- year course for teachers of educational system during the presidency of martyred Rajai. There are some people, such as Seyyed Javad Hashemi and Javad Sheydaian who had individual groups, and these groups were completely freeform ones. Of course, there were some religion friends whom we sought help from. But generally it was a freeform activity. Because, this kind of genre established in ministry of Islam Guidance. For example, it was very difficult to bring the groups with 10 or 15 people in the region of war, because we was not sure to be kept alive in there. I remember that when we performing the play" But our imam said us…", my friend with a martyred women and I were there and as soon as we arrived near to the saloon, a mortar fell down next the saloon; all of us were injured by the wave of mortar, and we fell on the ground. But, as imam Khomeini commanded to fighters, the groups of theatre also was responsible for the war as much as the fighters. In those days, the groups did not used to receive wage, and everyone tried to prepare some equipment and tools, for example, some took a car from Sepah or someone sought a driver; therefore we provided all of necessities. I remember that we went to a region of war. It was night and the bullet and mortar were being fallen on the ground. Our bus driver said that he could not move ahead more. We said him that we has a lot of clothes and equipment and you were also commanded move ahead; therefore, we did works by relationship among the friend and taking responsibility.

Did you read an accord with military section?

Yes, we did. In fact we initially took a permission, then we went to Ahvaz and took another permission to enter in another region. We, at first, entered into office section to be determined, then group could entre in the there.

I remember that we went to perform a play at the station of a bridge. The authorities said that we hadn’t ant stage to perform the play. We found that there was a piece of a bridge (kind of bridge made during the war). We said them we would perform on this bridge. It had been located under rain a long time. We saw some scorpion were coming out from the bridge, and they were trying to climb our feet. We provided the equipment and tools, and performed the play on the bridge.

It is noteworthy and interesting enough to tell, when the Iraqi airplanes came into Kermanshah and bombed there for 20 or 25 minutes. One our friend whose house was destroyed, have moved to Tehran on a mission.by the time, we were going to go Fajr festival and choose a play about Abadan, Khoramshahr and Dezful. I, with two people else, requested the friend come with us. "Oh sir. I escaped from there, don’t bring me Khoramshahr again" he said. I was very surprised, any way we moved by a car. When we arrived to Khoramabad, the Iraqi airplane came and bombed there. He wanted come back. We passed through the khoramshahr and slept at night. Then we arrived to Dezful. At the same, we heard that a rocket had been recently shot there. The friend said: " sir, we will be killed here." The friend said. At night we went to a home and perform a play named "the guardians of borders of God" directed by Mr. Hassan Barzideh and played by Mr. Basheh Ahangar. We hadn’t any equipment to perform the play. Suddenly, we heard the horn of a car. When we went near to the car. We saw that he is Mr. Rouhollah Baradari. I asked him: "what are you doing here Rouhollah?" He replied: "I came here for a mission". Hussein farrokhi and one of Kurdish drivers were with him. We rode his car to go towards Ahvaz. He had taken the permission to enter into Abadan and he must Ahvaz. He had taken the permission to enter into Abadan and he must go and take the permission from the commander to enter into Khorramshahr when we arrived to military police. But they didn’t allow us to enter into Khorramshahr. Rouhollah satisfied the police and took permission to go. We passed over the iron bridge (white bridge). There are some groups, they are eating lunch. Rouhollah Baradari said: "let's go and meet the friend who are in frontage of war. They were moving on road of Basreh in 120 km per hour. Suddenly they stopped because the road was blocked. They come to force to get off and walk the slope of around the road down. After short time, we also found the road blocked. We got the car off and saw a bulwark in the distance. Hussein Farrokhi went inside of bulwark and we also followed him. We found that it was an Iraqi one. Hussein Farrokhi found a Iraqi helmet, and he said: "it is suitable for theatre. Rouhollah also took pants. One of the friends found some medals and military eagle–symbol degrees. Suddenly, we heard a sound, we saw a smoke- maker mortar. I said Rouhollah that the next mortar would be fallen on our head. But He was not serious about it. The next mortar fell down in fewer distance. By the time, when the friends, especially Hussein Farrokhi, were collecting some clothes, helmet and other Iraqi equipment I suddenly saw the driver rode on the car and wanted to go. Anyway, we left the Iraqi equipment and rode on it. I took a helmet only. When we left the bulwark, the Iraqi forces bombed there. We went towards palms and white bridge and had a lunch with the fighters. Then we moved towards Ahvaz.

Did educational system cooperate in these works? Did theatre group, choir group etc. come in the region of war?

There was a bridge for educational system consisted of teacher-training university's student, and they had even an own garrison. The theater group and choir group went in the region of war because educational system's authorities attended in there. Of course, the director of the groups should be altruist and interested person to bring the group in the frontage of war. Beside all difficulty and responsibly. Of course, these groups usually did not intend to go in the frontage of war. They performed the play in second line of war, in station of brigade and Do Khoheh garrison. Near to Dez River, Tehran fighters’ brigade and other divisions had station where forces, sometimes, received training in until they became tired. These educational system's group attended there, and performed play for them. We also performed play in operational information line and near to frontage of war, and it was really noteworthy event for audience.

So, all the event took place in wartime were freeform and there wasn’t any particular organization to lead the events. Was there?

Yes, there were. In educational systems, there were units to send people to war. Whoever wanted to go war, should be interested because the theatre was a valuable and artistic work. Of course, there were 10 groups, for example Mr. Shaydaei or some groups from Defense Ministry, were bringing the people in some teams. To perform the play in the frontage of war. Some of the plays, as performed by them, were comedy and other were not. We performed two plays in Abadan, due to have enough equipment, were different than other. The last play named "one upon day…" by Faiaz Musavi, and it was a comic play. It was a hard play and drew the fighter's attention so much. Some of play, for example, performed for fighters not to be worried about back of frontage of the war. Sometime, some plays were in field of war but they were comic ones; these plays could be fun for them, and they taught disciplines in addition to some disorders were there.

I was in publication and advertisement of Sepah theatre group for 4 years, and if we went to another division on a mission. We would perform a play, and it was one of our responsibilities. Of course, some of my missions were not theatre missions, for example, when I went to Faw because it wasn’t possible to do artistic works along the mortars were dropping on the ground. Actually, was is a fact that it won't be perceived profoundly until you attend in war. We said ourselves" when a lot of the young go to the war, what's the value of our body to be kept and why don’t we go to the war and do artistic works?

In the wartime, were the plays performed in the field of revolution, or not, just in the field of sacred defense?

Of course the Islamic revolution's goal were implied in the content of the plays

I mean the plays about the events of revolution

No, the plays were tried to be perform in the field of the war; social issues on back of the frontage of war such as families and goals. I remember that the leader of revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, sent a letter to the Headquarter for Marchs on 22th Bahman in which he said to do artistic works.

On 22th Bahman, at same time years, we used of 22 trailers from crossroad of Shahid Navab Safavi to Azadi square, and we chose five artistic groups for each trailer. There were some preformation in the field of revolution such as music group of army, Basij, Sepah, Sea forces, Air force and theatre group.

When did it happen?

It was about 10 years ago. Besides the revolution, the contents of preformed plays consisted analysis of characters before revolution and goal of the revolution. These contents helped to inform audience about Pahlavi's Regime (Taghut). They are attractive plays, and the people used of them. I remember that although it was 2 o'clock afternoon. There were about 1500 people watching a doll play in the field of revolution at a crossroad of street professor Moein.

Is there any association for Sacred Defense Theatre or revolution theatre?

Yes.

What are the association doing?

They are working on sacred defense. Although Basij activities involves in all social groups. Artists of Basij has also a theatre unit in which sacred defense is one of its priorities. Of course, it involve in other activities. Sometimes some meetings are held in associations of sacred defense and revolution. This associations invite the artists and send them to the frontage of war through Rahian Noor to be affected by speeches of narrators in mood of war, and produce some plays in the field of sacred defense. Foundation of Preservation and Dissemination for Islamic values also held festival of Ashuraian in field of sacred defense for 13 times, and before the theatre unit was closed. The festival was also held in Sanandag and last year in Mashhad. The festival of sacred defense is being held by interested people in Khoramshahr every year. The plays are judged and performed in Khoramshahr’s saloons. Of course, it sometimes is held in Abadan's saloon. Today, there is a resistance festival being held every two years. There is also Basiji’s festival, and its last part is held in the month of Bahman. We recently read 125 top plays. Artist of Basij sent 900 plays to the festival in which 125 ones were became play. Fortunately, we held some cool plays in Fajr theatre festival last year. After bringing 175 martyred divers to Iran. The artists of sacred defence became stronger to make artistic work; one of the plays was about the martyred "Chamran", and another play was about the martyred divers that it was an environmental play. Of course, the valuable plays should be protected seriously. It mean professional artists designer and equipment should be available to perform valuable play.

Interviewing the some of the prisoners in sacred defense and recording their memoirs, I found that theatre and plays were important for them at the time of captivity. Did this event resulted in producing play?

Yes. I remember that when the first group of the prisoners came back Iran, Majid Majidi, Seyyed Mehdi Shojaee, some people else and I decided that It is better to work with the prisoner; so, we did it. In the famous saloon of art center, we performed the plays for 6 and 7 nights and all of authorities attended in there such as Ayatollah Janati. He was affected by tortures, beating and annoying of prisoners is inasmuch as he was crying and trembling. In fact, we made these plays according to their memoirs. The prisoners performed the play by ourselves. And there weren't any artists else. Some plays were made and performed in the field of prisoners. In the provinces, some freeform group were responsible of prisoners, and performed some plays. But these plays were as a wave of stormy sea, and when the last group of prisoners came back Iran, the wave was broken up as well.

Do you want to say any statement or point?

It is necessary to acknowledge you, because you provided a situation to speak. Perhaps, one day these words might be useful, and some might be informed that there were some newcomer artists, in hardest situation of sacred defense, and they tried in the field of sacred defense; therefore the future people will arise and follow these process. As the narrated in the religious words, when Ibrahim (PBHM) was placed in the fire, a bee was pouring small drops off water on the fire and tried to put it out. Ibrahim said the bee: "why did you try? The fire cannot be put out by the small drops of water. The bee replied: "when I was asked by God, I will answer that I help him as much as possible." Now, we, as a bee, can claim that we tried for sacred defense as much as possible. We should give opportunity to professional artists to be entered into the field of sacred defense. For example, Borzu Arjomand took a car and a tent traveled to five provinces and performed play about sacred defense, and he also won the prize of Fajr festival. He always says me whatever I have, I achieved of sacred defense theatre.

Some Parts of Oral History in the Field of Sacred Defense Theatre (II)