Iranian director Mohammad Aqebati said that political events in the Middle East over the past few years have encouraged him to plan for staging William Shakespeare’s “Richard II” during the 34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Tehran. 

“The political events in the Middle East over the past few years and the transfer of power and movements such as the Arab Spring enticed us to think about performing the play,” Aqebati told the Persian service ISNA on Monday. 

“We will make a strong connection between Shakespeare’s historical play and the contemporary history of the Middle East in the adaptation,” he added. 

The play will be performed by a cast of two actors, Afshin Hashemi and Soheil Zohrabi. 

“In this play, we see the majestic loneliness of Richard II when he no longer holds power,” said Aqebati, who is famous for staging adaptations made by Iranian playwrights based on the world’s prominent dramatic works.

He has previously staged “Tears and I Kiss You” that Mohammad Charmshir wrote based on Czech playwright Václav Havel’s “Letters to Olga”. 

Aqebati also directed Charmshir’s “Hamlet, the Princess of Pain” in August 2011 and Jean Jenet’s “The Maid” in May 2005. 

source : Tehran times