Tara Tedjarati Productions presents a moving and artistic performance of a heart-wrenching story about Iranian women who face multiple challenges living in an authoritarian country. Each woman shows a different side of the many faces of bravery.
A Fire Ignites begins with layered recordings of news clips about illegal protesting in Iran and then Tara Tedjarati enters the stage wearing her hijab, which she starts to burn. We are introduced to three women: Maryam, Parisa and Yasaman, Parisa’s mother. The characters are distinctly different to the audience, which Tedjarati achieves through quick costume changes. The play moves seamlessly through the women’s monologues and is broken up by interpretive dance and original songs, demonstrating the depth of emotion and pain the characters feel, whilst making the performance delightfully immersive.
The use of colourful lighting and a spotlight paired with dramatic audios brings the women’s interconnected stories to life and these feelings take root in your heart. It is obvious how fiercely Tedjarati feels about the freedom of women and queer people in Iran and this translates successfully into her show. She tells the audience afterwards that this project started when she was at drama school and has developed into the fantastic show performed at the Fringe today.
The simple staging and props do not take away from the powerful story. It is impressive how Tedjarati performs solo yet is able to portray so many complex emotions and engage the audience, projecting her voice in the theatre with no microphone. This is a woman and a story that demands to be heard.
The song repeated in the show, written and performed by Tedjarati, has a sorrowful melody but is strong and stays with you long after the show has ended. It connotates freedom and justice over oppression. Tedjarati sings: “This is me, this my country, this is us”. Amazingly, the characters still believe humans are good at their core. Yasaman, the final character we meet, questions whether people should have to leave their country to achieve change, juxtaposing the aspirations of the two younger women who dream of London. This is a story of hope in the face of adversity and how light can penetrate the darkness, highlighted by the show’s stark lighting.
In each sub-story, the women are drawn back to the looking at the stars, which offer hope despite their difficult situations. Although the play ends with a sudden death, which is foreshadowed from the start, there is a hopeful tone as the audience is left to ponder what the bravery and boldness of these women and others means for the future of Iran, whilst also acknowledging the privilege we have in the UK to speak and love freely.
Images provided to The Student as press material
A Fire Ignites runs at 9:35am, Theatre 2 at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 19-24 Aug. Tickets available here.