Playwright Akbar Radi laid to rest Friday

Radi died of cancer on December 26 at Tehran’s Pars Hospital. He was 68.

His funeral procession was held on Friday morning at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall. A great number of artists, cultural figures and Iran’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Artistic Affairs, Mohammad-Hossein Imani Khoshkhu attended the ceremony.

Iraj Rad, managing director of Iran’s House of Theater made a speech, saying, “Radi, with all his discipline, dignity and decency has left us. One cannot avert death, but he will remain among us for ever through the works he bequeathed.”

He went on to say, “Radi was one of the few contemporary playwrights who held a special position in the art of theater. He was not only an honor to the profession, but the pride of the country and his name will remain in our minds for ever.”

Imani Khoshkhu, expressing his regret over the sad demise of Radi, said, “Death is a reality that we must all accept. But there are some who believe death is the beginning of eternal life. We know that as long as Iran exists, Radi also exists.”

Actor Ali Nasirian made a short speech saying, “During the 1960’s poetry and novels in Iran enjoyed good status, but playwrights did not come to the fore. A few artists evolved during those years who promoted playwriting, and Radi was one of them.”

He also noted that Radi, together with his colleagues, was responsible for the development of Iran’s theater, and expressed hope that young writers will be able to create quality works to compensate for the loss of the master.

Stage director Qotbeddin Sadeqi referred to Radi as a bright light which spread hope amongst artists in the current atmosphere of injustice which prevails in the theatrical sphere in Iran.

Actors Behzad Farahani, Akbar Zanjanpur, and stage and scene directors Bahram Beizaii and Mohammad Rahmanian were also among the participants.

Akbar Radi was born on October 2, 1939 in Rasht, Gilan Province. His family moved to Tehran when he was still a child and he continued his studies in the Iranian capital.

In 1955, he became familiar with the works of the author Sadeq Hedayat and began to write. His first story, “Dead Mouse”, was published in the Tehran daily Kayhan and he later became interested in playwriting.

From the beginning of his career in this field, his skill as a playwright and his power with words drew the attention of the giants of Iranian theater. His works have been compared to the plays of Anton Chekhov and Henrik Ibsen.

His dramas include “Melody of Rainy City”, “The Descent”, “The Fishermen”, “Death in the Autumn”, and “Slowly with the Rose”.

He was last seen in public early this year at Tehran’s City Theater Complex during the closing ceremony of the play “Glorious Smile of Mr. Gil”.

RM/MA

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MNA