Episode 9 of TVT, presented in Persian, explores one of the most complex and important responsibilities in the performing arts: theatre directing.
A director does much more than determine where actors stand or how they move across the stage. Directors interpret the text, work with performers, and bring together the many elements of a production—from set design, lighting, music, and sound to costume, movement, silence, and rhythm—to create a coherent theatrical world.
But where is the boundary between guiding an actor and imposing a director’s personal vision? How closely should a director remain connected to the playwright’s text? Is mise-en-scène simply the positioning and movement of performers, or is it part of the director’s way of thinking? And how can casting, rhythm, silence, lighting, distance, and even empty space change the meaning of a performance?
This episode considers directing as a combination of imagination, knowledge, observation, leadership, and decision-making, with its influence present throughout the entire theatrical experience.
In our “Remembering Artists” segment, we look at Shahin Sarkisian, an Iranian-Armenian director and theatre artist whose name is closely associated with the development of modern approaches to theatre in Iran. We explore his working methods, educational influence, and his role in introducing a generation of artists to new approaches to rehearsal, acting, text analysis, and collaborative theatre-making.
Our weekly report takes us to Todmorden Mills and the Papermill Theatre & Gallery in Toronto, where elements of the area’s industrial past now coexist with contemporary arts and cultural activities. We explore the site, its history, and the connection between Toronto’s industrial heritage and its present-day artistic use.
In our book segment, we introduce Anarestan by Firouzeh Saeidi.
What do you consider the most important quality of a professional theatre director? And how would you describe Shahin Sarkisian’s influence on modern Iranian theatre?
Share your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation with other TVT viewers.
Video language: Persian (Farsi)
