Oct 3, 2009, 6:13 PM

Friends remember late playwright Radi at Sangelaj

TEHRAN, Oct. 3 (MNA) -- Family and friends gathered at the Sangelaj Theater Friday to celebrate the 70th birthday of the late playwright Akbar Radi.

Over the 40 years of its existence, the Sangelaj has been like a home to numerous theatrical figures and has presented many plays by those who lived their lives for the theater. Their footsteps can still be heard in the building.

Akbar Radi was born October 2, 1939. This year, the Sangelaj played host to the birth anniversary of the late artist who is no longer among his fans. Radi departed from his friends, family and fans on December 26, 2007 at the age of 68.

The Sangelaj hosted many today, like his wife Hamideh-Banu Onqa, author Mahmud Dowlatabadi, stage directors Pari Saberi, Hadi Marzban and cineastes Jafar Vali, Daniel Hakimi, Shokr-e Khoda Gudarzi and many more.

Marzban restaged Akbar Radi’s “Hamlet with Season Salad” on this day and it was as if Radi were there watching the play.

Actors Behruz Baqaii, Reza Fayyazi, Farzaneh Kaboli, Bahareh Rahnama, Rasul Najafian, Ferdows Kaviani, Amir Dejakam and Ayyub Aqakhani played as if they felt Radi in every part of their roles.

Marzban once again wished that Radi could have been among the audience to watch the play, saying, “Radi had dedicated ‘Hamlet with Season Salad’ to me and (wife) Farzaneh Kaboli in the last edition of the book.”

“Radi was a playwright who will be remembered by future generations better than us, and when future actors need help in their roles, they will refer to Radi and his works,” Dowlatabadi said.

His wife Onqa also broke into tears and wished that Radi was still alive among his friends on his birthday. Radi died of cancer at Tehran’s Pars Hospital at age 68.

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

Radi regarded his birthplace Gilan as his permanent domicile and had a nostalgic feeling about the province. He had great interest in his childhood memories and depicted them in his plays using sets with large houses with several rooms, wooden ceilings, carpets from Kashan, gardens with lots of flowers, and even foggy weather and rain.

His play “Melody of a Rainy City” is about his beloved Gilan Province. His feeling for the place was so strong that he named one of the main characters in the play after the province.

“Melody of Rainy City”, “The Descent”, “The Fishermen”, “Death in the Autumn”, and “Slowly with the Rose” are among his numerous plays.

RM/YAW

END

MNA

News ID 36199