‘Confusion’ awarded at Georgia theater festival
Iranian director Mohammad Amin Sadi’s ‘Confusion’ was awarded an honorary diploma on July 31 at the Regional International Theater Festival in the Georgian port city of Poti.
The Tehran-based production, staged by Amitis Theater Group, was among 11 entries from France, Romania, Lithuania, Georgia and Iran, according to ISNA.
Festival officials praised the piece for its “coherent” structure and “high-quality” execution. The play is a free adaptation of 'L'Étourdissement,' a novel by French writer Joël Egloff, translated into Persian by Asghar Nouri. It has been reimagined through a postmodern lens and delivered in what the director described as a “cross-genre language.”
Set in an unnamed industrial town, 'Confusion' follows a 23-year-old man battling internal pressures on his daily commute between home and the slaughterhouse where he works. The story is told from the character’s point of view as he lives with his grandmother. According to Sadi, the work explores “loneliness, despair and psychological pressure” that weigh on the modern individual.
The production combines physical performance and shadow theater. Lead actor Fardin Rahmanpour was cast for his ability to handle both intense physicality and psychologically layered roles. Sahar Ghassemi plays in both form and shadow sequences. Sadi said the role took nearly five months of rehearsals to refine, while additional performers trained for more than two months. The entire staging process took about seven months to complete.
After logging more than 70 performances in Tehran, ‘Confusion’ was nominated at the Fajr International Theater Festival for best directing, acting, costume, and makeup design.
The production team credited its success in Georgia to logistical support from Albert Beigjani and Saman Khalilian, along with backing from Iran’s General Directorate of Performing Arts.
The performance is currently running at Tehran’s Hamoon Theater, which Sadi selected for its “professional audience and quality programming.” The director said the team has received offers to tour the show in cities including Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz and Qeshm.
Sadi is now working on a new project based on ‘Frankenstein,’ aiming to blend classical narrative with modern themes. The script is in early development, with no performance dates confirmed. As for 'Confusion,' he said the play is “well-suited” for both domestic and international festivals, and the group plans to submit it to this year’s Fajr festival if conditions allow.