Vampilov, 'the Siberian Chekhov,' Rediscovered in New Millennial Iran

• In Event: Reimagining Modern Russian Drama: New Interpretations and Productions

Abstract

Recently Vampilov’s plays have been quite popular in Iran. The Incident with a Metranpazh, for instance, has been staged seven times by five directors since 2017 in Tehran. It has been translated by three translators into Iranian. What I find particularly intriguing are the various poster designs for the play and the slight variations in the title of each adaptation. During my presentation, I will discuss and share recordings of how the political, economic, and social background of Vampilov’s plays of zastoi are represented in contemporary productions in Iran and why Iranian directors are turning to zastoi to comment on the present in Iran.

Author

• Elena Susanna Weygandt, UC Santa Barbara