Biography

The Integral Role of Playfulness in Iranian Advocacy

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          In response to the strict nature and often restrictive rigid regulations and laws set in motion under the Iranian State, activists have found unique and innovative methods to speak against the government's attempts to silence their voices. Playfulness is a crucial concept for better understanding and engagement regarding the creativity of activism. Playfulness opens the doors for various lighthearted approaches, including elements of humor and satire. Activists can also play with the boundaries and values of concepts which is an inherently transgressive act, as they are pushing against the norms. Playfulness can uproot and initiate forms of roleplay, which is prefigurative as they act and create ideals within the now that they wish to seek in the future.

There is an openness and inviting value tied to the inclusion of playfulness. As defined in her work, Performance Action; The Politics of Art Activism, Paula Serafini explains that playfulness evokes imagination and novel approaches in artistic activism. Activists can play regulation and processes, which is necessary "considering the limitations of trying to enact social and political change from within an institutional art context" (Serafini, 169). Playful, creative methods of advocacy transcend and touch audiences in ways that allow for internalized awareness. The role of playfulness is essential in several forms of Iranian activism as it is imperative for actively grasping an audience's attention and participation.

          The works of political satirists in Iran have been blanketed with aspects of playfulness. Political satirists have the capability of creating a universally approachable medium through the use of drawing. There is play in mixing politically focused concepts and light-hearted cartoonist imagery. Leonard Freeman examines the effectiveness of political satires in mass media spheres. Freeman explains that in regimes with an authoritarian presence, “censorship is a defining characteristic” (Freeman, 87). In Iran, censorship of the media presented to the citizens is extensive. The government has emphasized the need for several facets of pop culture to be banned from everyday citizens living within the state. Political satirists will often leave works up for interpretation. By playing with the true meaning of the artwork and not publicly disclosing it, they protect themselves from the strictness of the Iranian government. Political satirists use their platforms to advocate for their fundamental beliefs in creative formats. Political satirists delve into their emotions and imaginative perspectives, using play to break narratives and constructs and push the boundaries concerning what constitutes art.

          In Iranian Political Satire, Mahmud Farjami delves deep into an exploration of Iranian satirical reworks releases and their impacts on society and advocacy culture within the state. In this reading, there is a focus on the fact that political satire reaches attention both at home in Iran and in foreign countries, such as England. Political satirists have proved to embody the remarkable capabilities of creating universal work that can be interpreted in regions with or without first-hand context. Farjami explains how “satirical methods and political tendencies of these papers were quite varied, covering a wide spectrum that ranged from the far right to the far left…” (Farjami, 54). In Iran, political satirists used the basis of their artistic expertise to create a world that can depict vast topics, commanding the engagement of several groups of people from differing backgrounds. Ironic tendencies in politically motivated drawings allow for the expansion of perspective through the intrinsic use of play.

          Equally striking, the world of theatre in Iran uses innovative approaches and techniques to create all-inclusive experiences between the audience members and the performers. Theatre is intrinsically an art-based form. In Acting Out, author Roxanne Varzi emphasizes how "theatre here [in Iran] is more than entertainment, but a pathway to understanding" (Varzi, 109). Theatre, acting, roleplay, character embodiment is an immersive practice, for the actor and the viewer. In the theatrical setting, actors have the autonomy to create and invent glimpses of change they wish to see in their everyday lives. Through the art of pretending, theatre creates a window into prefiguration.

          In Iran, playing with the boundaries and structures of what it means to perform in a theatrical setting is pushed and stretched. A brilliant exploration of playfulness and how theatre is adapted playfully is exemplified by the series of Unprermitted Whispers performances. Playfulness is embedded in the process as characters in this theatrical art are derived from Shakespearean stories. The entirety of the Unpermitted Whispers Act is completed in the confines of a taxi cab, which plays with the dynamics of spatial usage. As play can be inherently political, this is immersive exposure. The intimacy and removal of audience-to-stage barriers forcibly bring the passengers much closer to the actors and the contents of the storyline being acted out.

In "Unpermitted Whispers'' Marjan Moosavi reflects upon the genius of the novel play written creation. Moosavi writes, "the first Iranian (world?) mobile theatre stemmed from three questions: How can theatre connect citizens with their city? How can the creative team of a theatrical performance empower their spectators to respond actively to the unpredictability of the world around them? and How contemporary is Shakespeare for Iranian life?" (Moosavi). Creator of this project, Azadeh Ganjeh, played with society's standards of "normal". Gangeh's creation forces the attention and participation of the audience by placing them in the same position as the actors. By playing with the constructs of theatre, Gangeh creates something extraordinary, fully immersing the audience into the thought-provoking social commentary of Unpermitted Whispers. Playfulness is so heavily present throughout the entirety of this creative project, from ideation to final execution, which is what aids in why it is so successful.

          Similarly in film, activism is ever-present, and the inclusion of play nourishes the contents of what audiences see and connect with being portrayed on the big screen. In Iranian Cinema: Art, Society and the State, by Ziba Mir-Hosseini, the significance of film as a form of advocacy and social-critique. The intersectionality of film, as expressed by Mir-Hosseini is directly connected to ingenuity and inspiration rooted in playfulness. In contemporary times, "Iranian cinema is recognized as one of the most innovative and exciting in the world…The key to resolving the apparent contradiction between Iran's repressive image, and the renaissance of Iranian cinema is to understand the relationship that developed between art, society, and the state after the Islamic revolution" (Mir-Hosseini, 26). Films that successfully attain an audience's mindfulness, curiosity, and attentiveness use the essence of play.

          A prime case study reflective of the extraordinary nature of advocacy in an extremely playful film would be the documentary Tehran Has No More Pomegranates! (2006) by Massoud Bakhshi. A multitude of playful characteristics makes this film so extraordinary and effortless for an audience to embrace. This film is highly satirical, with a constant presence of humor. Throughout the film, there are spurts of footage from times in Iran's history, unique photo choices, incongruent music, and outlandish contradictory statements. Bakhshi plays on the concepts of truth and fabrication, manipulating what is real and what is not within the substance of the film. There is a common presence of ironic statements throughout the film that are striking from the viewer's perspective.

          The playfulness tied to the choice of satirical inclusions makes the audience question and evokes a need to further engage in deciphering the deeper meanings of messages portrayed within the film. This film delves into past significant events in the history of Tehran, yet the realities of the subject matter are skimming the surface, inherently making the seriousness of the topics seem less prominent. There is also the inclusion of highly satirical statements depicting Tehran as "the most modern, beautiful city" having "no utility issue[s]". Comments like these are overtly attention-seeking and based in humor, as there is a play on whether or not the quotes are based on truths in reality. The director uses this film as a pathway to discuss greater deep-rooted institutionalized issues.

          In Iranian Cinema in A Global Context - Chapter 3, Re/Form; New Form in Cinema and Media in Post -Khatami Iran, Blake Atwood and Peter Decherney explain the significance of Bakhshi's film.  It is emphasized that "the film envisions itself as part of this relationship between cinematic and political reform movements. It focuses on the history of political reform at the same time that it plays with possibilities that come with restructuring actual film" (Atwood & Decherney, 48). Humor aids in the effectiveness of exposing the lack of actual institutional Iranian improvement. Bakhshi is delightfully original in his selections of portrayal and socio-political critique in a witty method. Bakhshi is transgressive; he pushes the boundaries and constitutions of film and advocacy. The audience is encouraged to engage in critical thought processes while decoding the performative satirical play in the film. 

           In conclusion, play provides a new and innovative approach to advocacy and how it can connect with viewers and the audience. These politically driven artists directly extend a portion of their innermost thoughts, ideals, ethics, and morals to the public. Artistry is a window into more intimate creation. The beauty of artistry in Iranian political satire, theatre, and film designates an opportunity for the public to engage while deciphering embedded meanings critically. Playfulness enforces true creativity that sparks public attention, unifying everyday citizens and politically-critical artists.