Betrayal Mother

Abdolreza Faridzadeh, a playwright and theater critic, alongside the publication of his new book titled “Theater Workshop,” which presents his experiences in skill acquisition and practice for theatrical performances, has released a new collection of plays entitled “Betrayal Mother.” One of the most significant and innovative features of this book is the presence of five adapted plays titled “A Donkey on the String of Life,” “Could You Lend Me a Minute, the World is Meredith,” “Campomans,” “Mr. Butzati Does Not Appear,” and “New Order,” based on rewrites, adaptations, and dramaturgy of works by renowned writers and playwrights such as Maxim Gorky and Dino Butzati. Faridzadeh, who considers himself a student of the late Hamid Samandarian’s educational school, approached writing these plays and selecting literary texts for adaptation from works mostly characterized by classical literary and dramatic structures rooted in the 19th and 20th-century theatrical school; his texts seldom show an interest in modern verbosity, verbal irony, or linguistic complexities. Instead, he strives for storytelling that is ideological and progressive within a certain narrative line. In the play “Betrayal Mother,” one can easily observe the author’s strong inclination towards classical storytelling and direct engagement with the audience through traditional expressive metaphors, evident in the selection of character names and the style of dialogue. The play “Mr. Butzati Does Not Appear” follows a similar pattern, introducing a surprising plot twist early on that captivates the audience, guiding them through the unfolding mysteries. Faridzadeh’s plays in this collection rely on elements of story and suspense rather than narrative complexity, accompanied by simple stagecraft and open direction for the director, offering the audience a pleasant atmosphere. This atmosphere allows the text to hold its dramatic value while also being captivating and emotionally impactful, engaging the audience solely through storytelling. The brevity and conciseness seen in these plays—stemming from the short stories Faridzadeh chose and adapted—and the power of classical short stories to convey concise yet suspenseful and engaging narratives, adds strength to this collection. These plays become especially valuable for students seeking foundational scripts for entering the world of theatrical performance.