Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2015

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regime and the complex social issues that are explored in the play. It had a huge impact on me, as I had no prior knowledge of the suffering and human rights abuses that occurred. We read and discussed many articles, UN documents and research on Iranian law in order to understand life in Iran. We also watched documentaries and interviews with prisoners and read witness accounts of human rights abuses, in order to understand life in Iranian prisons. This research was vital in helping me to really connect with my character as a prisoner and realise the significance and truth of what I was representing. The journey continued as actors grappled with creating their roles, in order not only to truthfully portray the characters, but to honour their stories. This part of the process can be frustrating and requires not only understanding and creativity but imagination and intuition. Madeleine Gandhi (12O) was outstanding in her portrayal of the lead character, Hamid — but it took commitment, perseverance and fearlessness. She reflected on a time of struggle during the process. For me, the obvious challenges of playing a male Iranian refugee have been daunting. I have been getting lost in the mechanics of the acting. When I told Mrs Riveros I was feeling overwhelmed, her advice was to un-complicate Hamid, to view him not as a complex man but as an average man who lives in complex circumstances. This new perspective clicked something into place. I went home and stuck a huge diagram on my bedroom wall of key lines and events in Hamid’s life. Looking at his story this way clarified his subtle shifts in character before, during and after he is tortured in prison, helping me to address the challenge of shifting between flashbacks and the present day. Although Hamid is an average man, he is transformed throughout this play and exhibits emotions ranging from rage, hopelessness and optimism. My most important job is to empathise — to honour this character’s story without experiencing it first-hand.

Playwright Helen Howard attended the closing night performance and the cast were humbled by her kind words. I was moved to laughter and tears by the committed, intelligent performances of the girls in the cast of my play, A Beautiful Life , which I wrote eighteen years ago with my partner Michael Futcher. The production made the story as fresh as if the events enacted had happened yesterday. The actors proved yet again that theatre is about so very much more than showing off, than having a moment in the spotlight. You cannot fake true empathy on stage, and these students connected with their characters beyond an intellectual understanding; they understood with their hearts and souls as well as with their minds. What a meaningful evening in the theatre we in the audience experienced! Professional theatre often lacks the vivid life that these performances evinced, not to mention the impressive production values in set and lighting. The creative process is a tough one. But through the tough times, we learn and we grow. Throughout this production experience, we have learnt to understand, respect and empathise with not only the Parsi family, but indeed the many refugee stories that it represents. For we are one but we are many.

The cast of A Beautiful Life with playwright Helen Howard.

SPRING ISSUE / 2015