Nassim

Nassim Soleimanpour is originally from Iran and is internationally regarded as one of the most exciting and innovative playwrights of modern world theatre. His best-known work, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit has won numerous awards, and was written to ‘travel the world when he couldn’t’. Such issues of displacement and isolation come into play with this current work, titled Nassim, with which he is touring around the world. It is now playing in Adelaide at the OzAsia Festival.

This is a wonderful theatrical experience that is designed to actively break down barriers that cause isolation, and in particular, those associated with language.

Nassim is a play that is created in the moment of performance. As the program notes state, ‘No rehearsal. Just a script that remains unseen in a sealed box until a different guest actor steps out onto the stage every night. As the pages turn, both the unprepared actor and audience find themselves partaking in an audacious theatrical experiment.’

The night I saw Nassim the ‘actor’ was Melbourne-based rapper Joel Ma – and he was terrific! He exuded a charm, warmth and humour that greatly contributed to the enjoyment of this marvelous show.

After the beginning sequence Joel Ma was joined on stage by Nassim Soleimanpour to continue the journey of language and connection. Nassim Soleimanpour, however, does not speak, but uses a screen and gestures to forward the narrative.

Partly autobiographical, partly educational, this is a beautiful piece of theatre. It deals with language, and particularly Farsi and English. By the end of the show we in the audience have the knowledge and understanding of at least some Farsi – including the word for ‘Mum’, as well as ‘Once Upon a Time’. These simple but emotionally loaded words are the means to connect us with others as human beings with shared experiences.

Subsequently, it was no surprise that at the end of the show the audience rose and cheered. We all felt touched and profoundly moved by the simplicity, inventiveness, grace and charm of Nassim Soleimanpour and Joel Ma.

Highly recommended.

Tony Knight

Read more OzAsia Reviews