DE-MONOPOLIZING THEATRE: FORMATION OF A SPACE OF AN INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION IN IRAN

Abstract

Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979/1357, the organization of theatre, and theatre festivals, in particular, have been subject to the control of the Islamic government. In 2008/1387, however, the Leev theatre group founded the MonoLeev Festival, Iran’s first independent theatre festival authorized by the Dramatic Art Center, the theatre branch of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The MonoLeev Festival emerged as a result of the cultural transformations started during the Reformists era. In this study, I analyze achievements of the MonoLeev Festival in de-monopolization of the DAC’s dominance over the theatre in Iran. I investigate the scope of this de-monopolization in three main domains: the phenomenon of festival, the theatrical space, and the discourses concerning the notion of personal and political identity. Additionally, I explore how this festival connects the disintegrated spheres of public and private, in Iran.