M(O)ther

Watch the full production and the post discussion

Watch the Trailer

Online Collaboration Among Artists from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, South Africa and the United States. Original Music, Modern Poetries (Farsi, Arabic, Turkish, English), Live Drawings and Physical Performances.

Produced and directed by Vahdat Yeganeh–2020

Collaborators: Jared Wright-Donya Pooli Yeganeh-Engin Ozsahin-Elinor Speirs-Peyman Khazeni-Ameen Mokdad Salim-Leva Jamali–Astiaj Ziaei

Script supervisor: Brenna Nicely

Inspired by poetry from Şener Beyter, فروغ فرخزاد‎ (Forough Farrokhzad), Langston Hughes, Alan Paton, أمين مقداد (Ameen Mokdad)

Poster and graphic design: Leva Jamali

Production manager: Emily Wright

Dramaturgy and the U.S. outreach: Heather Waters 

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“The ability to share our pains and dreams through our own languages and music is what make us the happiest at the end of each rehearsal. We hope that through this production, our audiences personally and deeply experience the connection produced among these artists.” The Theatre Times Interviews Vahdat Yeganeh. (Read More)

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Watch BNN reports about M(O)ther, including videos from rehearsals discussing racism and wars in the Middle East and the U.S. (Watch Here) 

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The Theatre Times: “The Boston Experimental Theatre (BET) has created a production that manages to reflect our odd, current times while managing to infuse the show with longing, connectivity, and joy.” (Read More)

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Read Broadway World review of M(O)ther!

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Here at Boston Experimental Theatre Company (BETC), I am excited to announce our new project: M(O)ther to be rehearsed and performed online. M(O)ther is a collaboration between artists from Iran, Iraq, Turkey, South Africa, and the United States. It continues BETC’s efforts to emulate Dariush Shayegan’s philosophy of “Dialogue of Civilizations” -a set of ideals that encourage interplay among people of different cultures, to spark global understanding and empathy. I am hoping that with our new project, and together with YOU (audiences), we create an environment of cultural dialogue for artists and free thinkers from around the globe. We deeply rely on your support to join us in this effort; this unique project (to our knowledge) is the first collaboration among Iranian, Iraqi, and American artists after many years of wars between their politicians. 

BETC relies strongly on live performance, but unfortunate political decisions by our governments have led us to utilize the internet as well to create artistic expression that goes beyond borders and political regulations. In 2013 we produced and performed the very first Iranian-American co-production Creatures, and since then we developed several more collaborative productions between Iranian, American, and international artists. Our productions include three adaptations of Shahnameh (2014-2015-2020), an adaptation of Sadegh Hedayat masterpiece The Blind Owl (2015), and the first two Apartment productions in Boston–as immersive theater project where we invited the audiences to our apartments and performed the shows in the basement, bedrooms, bathroom, and living room (2015-2017). 

At the beginning of 2017, we were preparing for an Iranian colleague to join us in Boston for a new collaboration. Then U.S. President, Donald Trump, signed Executive Order 13769 to immediately ban citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran, from entering the United States. We had no choice except to develop the play and have rehearsals online (a 21st-century production addressing 21st-century conflicts). Depressed and disgusted by this ban, we adapted the production to accommodate the new travel restrictions affecting our Iranian colleagues and to express our desire to fight the Trump administration’s racist policies.

The result was the play Fish Trees, a true-to-life story of lovers separated by circumstance. In the play, BETC company member Jared Wright performed live on stage in Boston as he interacted with Donya Pooli, whose image was cast by video from Iran. A coproduction that took place simultaneously on opposite sides of the globe, “Fish Trees” developed into an intercultural love affair with universal appeal that stepped over the political and geographical barriers enacted by the Trump administration. This production germinated a seed that has steadily grown into our current project: M(O)ther. 

At Boston Experimental Theatre Company, I strongly believe in a highly improvisational rehearsal process informed by the psychological and dramatic philosophy of Antonin Artaud and the organic, minimalist directorial techniques of Jerzy Grotowski. With intensely physical bodywork, the composition of original music, the adaptation of poetries from different languages, and an earnest exploration of each culture’s impact on our collective psyche, our company strives to transform the solitary despair of each artist into a communal celebration of a living experience. 

For this experience to reach its goal, we ask that you spread the word and join our online performances. We will be streaming the production live on YouTube on 9 August 2020, 2 pm EST, 8 pm South Africa, 9 pm Iraq and Turkey, 10:30 pm Iran. Until then, please help us spread the word and let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or questions. I am hoping that this becomes the first of many performances, collaborating with more artists and free thinkers from around the globe.

Love, 

Vahdat Yeganeh

Founder/artistic director

Boston Experimental Theatre Company. 

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