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Agence France-Presse

An Iranian director is breathing new life into William Shakespeare’s King Lear with a bold staging in Tehran infused with rock music and a dazzling light show to attract younger audiences.
In Iran, artists, writers, filmmakers, musicians and playwrights must walk a tightrope to avoid censorship of content the authorities deem inappropriate.
But despite political tensions between Tehran and the West, many international works still make it to the Iranian stage.
Now, well-known actress Elika Abdolrazzaghi has taken on the challenge of reimagining King Lear for a contemporary audience.
“If I had staged the original version, it would have been too heavy for people – they would have been bored,” the 45-year-old said.

To inject energy into the performance, Abdolrazzaghi has incorporated music from British rock band Muse and German industrial metal group Rammstein.
Vivid costumes and sparkling lights lend the production a festive atmosphere, despite the play’s dark core.
First published in the early 1600s, King Lear tells the story of a crumbling monarchy and a family torn apart by betrayal, power struggles and hunger for the throne.
An ageing and weary Lear decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, based on how well they flatter him in public.
Naive and prideful, Lear disowns Cordelia, his youngest daughter, who refuses to join the charade.
“I transformed many word-heavy sections of the play into movement, imagery, music and dance,” Abdolrazzaghi said.
“In Iran there are many women directing theatre, but few are well known,” she added.

The actors wear richly detailed costumes in bold reds, greens and yellows, inspired by classic fashions from the 17th century.
Reza Yazdani, a household name in Iran’s rock scene, performs the Persian-language songs live on stage.
The production has struck a chord with theatregoers.
“We didn’t think we could sit through a two-hour play,” said Amin, a 32-year-old engineer who went to see the production with his wife, Elham. “But it was really good – from the actors’ performances to the music and set design.”
With a company of around 100 people, including several dozen actors, Abdolrazzaghi and her team spent several months preparing the show.
Abdolrazzaghi, who has performed in works by Germany’s Bertolt Brecht, Switzerland’s Friedrich Durrenmatt and France’s Yasmina Reza, says the Iranian authorities impose “no restrictions” on staging foreign plays.
“Theatre is essentially a Western phenomenon and remains a young art form in Iran,” she said.

Ahmad Saatchian, the lead actor and a stage veteran with two decades of experience, calls Lear “the greatest role” of his career.
“Portraying one of the most important characters in literary history is a rare opportunity for an actor,” he said.
Tragedies such as King Lear are “universal and resonate with people around the world – that’s why Shakespeare remains timeless”, he added.
In recent years, many of Shakespeare’s works have been performed in Iran.
“Countries that have experienced similar political dynamics – like Iran or those in Eastern Europe – tend to connect deeply with Shakespeare’s work,” Saatchian said.

In the final act, Lear, broken by betrayal, regains clarity before his death.
“In one scene, Lear calls on those in power to expose themselves to the suffering of the poor in order to build a more just world,” Saatchian said.
“That’s a message that resonates everywhere.”


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Iran

Shakespeare’s King Lear with rock music, light show in reimagining by Iranian director

An actress performs during a presentation of William Shakespeare’s “King Lear”, directed by Iranian actress and director Elika Abdolrazzaghi, at Tehran’s Shahr Theatre, on May 21, 2025. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Actor and singer Reza Yazdani performs during a production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Iranian actress and director Elika Abdolrazzaghi, at the Shahr Theatre in Tehran, Iran, on May 21, 2025. Photo: AFP

Abdolrazzaghi says that she turned many word-heavy sections of the play into movement, imagery, music and dance. Photo: AFP

An actress performs during a production of King Lear at Tehran’s Shahr Theatre. Photo: AFP

Actors perform during a production of King Lear at Tehran’s Shahr Theatre. Photo: AFP

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Andrei Kozlov, who was taken hostage by Hamas during the 2023 attack on Israel, looks at one of his paintings in his New York studio. Photo: AP

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Kozlov looks at his painting One God at his studio in New York. Photo: AP

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A scene from Mr Blank 2.0 by Hong Kong’s City Contemporary Dance Company, which depicts a world of CCTV surveillance where basic humanity has disappeared. Photo: Carmen So

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Lifestyle

Arts

Music from Muse and Rammstein and a light show feature in Elika Abdolrazzaghi’s staging of the play. She’s aiming it at a younger audience


Music from Muse and Rammstein and a light show feature in Elika Abdolrazzaghi’s staging of the play. She’s aiming it at a younger audience.


Women and gender

Shakespeare’s King Lear with rock music, light show in reimagining by Iranian director

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Music from Muse and Rammstein and a light show feature in Elika Abdolrazzaghi’s staging of the play. She’s aiming it at a younger audience

Music from Muse and Rammstein and a light show feature in Elika Abdolrazzaghi’s staging of the play. She’s aiming it at a younger audience