April 12, 2011
Agents famously known as the “plainclothes” who claim to be the “followers of wilayat” attacked the theater where the play Study was being performed, shouting pro-regime slogans and chants against “leaders of strife”. The play stopped half-way.
According to news agencies and the attackers themselves, this incident happened because it became known that former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami was watching the play at the Iranshahr Theater.
The play Study, written by Eugene Yonesko and directed by the famous filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui, debuted at the Iranshahr Theater.
Ahmad Masjed Jamei (Khatami-era Minister of Guidance) and Fereydoon Amoozadeh Khalili (reformist journalist and writer) as well as close friends of Mohammad Khatami such as Bahareh Rahnama and Payman Ghasem Khani (screenwriter) had accompanied the former Iranian president.
After the plainclothes supporters of the regime, who forced the play to stop half-way, the prominent director Dariush Mehrjui went on stage and dedicated this play to Mohammad Khatami.
Police officers stationed outside the performance hall had full knowledge of the plainclothes’ attack, their slogans and disruption of the play. The police officers did not make any effort to halt the rioters.
The play’s producer Reza Darmishian said, “Study had 22 successful performances late February to early March. According to official statistics published by the Iranshahr Theater it’s been the most profitable play of the winter season, and it was able to debut at the Professor Samandarian as the most sold-out play in one run.”
Study is the story of a student who studies with a professor. Amir Jafari (the professor), Tanaz Tabatabai (the student), and Nader Salimifard (the servant) are the three actors in this play.