Theater production ‘Hotel’ to reopen in Tehran, launching 2026 stage season
Directed by Marjan Aghanouri, the immersive theatrical production ‘Hotel’ will reopen its run on April 16, at Iran Art Boutique in Tehran, marking the venue’s first performance of the current Iranian calendar year which started March 21, 2026, after its earlier staging was suspended in last year amid wartime disruptions.
Written by Marjan Aghanouri and Solaleh Safari, the experimental and participatory piece initially began performances in March 2026 but was halted due to “special conditions” in the country before returning to the stage this week.
Positioned as an atmospheric, site-specific experience, ‘Hotel’ places audiences in a suspended, uncanny environment where they move alongside performers through a decaying, fire-scarred hotel.
The narrative follows a theater troupe attempting to stage a performance inside the building, only for the storyline to be disrupted by a character identified as “the jinn,” who alters the trajectory of events.
“I want to write to the Performing Arts Center so they stop turning my home into a theater hall,” reads the production’s synopsis.
Aghanouri, a recipient of an honorary medal at the 2025 Actors’ House Theater Festival, has previously won multiple national and international awards, including best director at the Tehran Theater Festival and best actress at the Simorgh International Festival, alongside appearances at regional cultural events.