Performance of 'From Desire to Loyalty'; Benafsheh Taherian: Shirin of Nezami Ganjavi is the Best Role Model for Iranian Women

The performance of 'From Desire to Loyalty' by Benafsheh Taherian, an Iranian artist residing in Canada, has received positive reactions from audiences. In this one-woman show, she presents the epic poem 'Khosrow and Shirin' in its entirety and uncensored, in a romantic comedy style. Through a modern approach, Benafsheh Taherian aims to challenge traditional gender norms while resonating with empowered Iranian women. The performance gains significance in the current context of Iran and the struggle of Iranian women against a patriarchal society, religious governance, and the repression of the Islamic Republic. According to Benafsheh Taherian, Shirin of Nezami Ganjavi symbolizes the wise and capable Iranian woman who, despite all challenges, today says 'no' to the misogynistic and inhumane laws of the Islamic Republic in the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement. Benafsheh Taherian, a writer, speaker, and actress based in Toronto, is a well-known Iranian figure in Canada who engages in various cultural and artistic activities. In an interview with VOA, she explained the background and motivations behind 'From Desire to Loyalty'. As an immigrant Iranian artist, I wanted to do something, even if small, to introduce Iranian culture and art to both Iranians and non-Iranians. In 2017, I accidentally became acquainted with Nezami Ganjavi and his works; he is an avant-garde writer ahead of his time, and when we read his stories, it feels like they happened just yesterday. Nezami places great value on love, respect, and the role of knowledgeable and capable women in his stories. I was so influenced by these stories that in 2020, with the onset of the COVID quarantine, I launched the podcast 'Tea with Benafsheh' to modernize the storytelling alongside poetry readings, using humor that is relatable and engaging for today's listeners. Three years later, after completing the podcast, I decided to bring it to the stage. As a result, 'From Desire to Loyalty' was performed for the first time at the Tirgan Festival 2023. This is the first time in Iranian history that the 6,500-verse poem 'Khosrow and Shirin' is presented in a faithful and uncensored performance. The main focus of the show is Shirin, a strong woman whose story resonates well with current conditions, especially in Iran. I introduced the character of Shirin as Nezami wrote her. Nezami states at the end of this poem that he wrote the story out of love for his wife, who was like Shirin and whom he lost. Shirin is skilled in archery and witty, educated, and eloquent, making her unmatched in conversation. She is a champion in chess and polo, and unparalleled in hunting and horseback riding. Shirin is a woman who knows what she wants and does not want in life and moves towards her desires. She is patient and resilient, makes mistakes but learns and rises again. In my opinion, Shirin can be one of the best role models for women and even men worldwide. Shirin is exactly the image of the Iranian woman whose wings have been attempted to be broken for centuries, whose feathers have been trimmed, who has been caged, and whose cage has been covered with a black cloth to make her forget how to sing. Yet, Iranian women have proven with the recent movement named 'Women, Life, Freedom' how resilient, courageous, free, and ambitious they are, despite their patience. Regarding the story, I aimed to define the tale of Khosrow and Shirin, and the process of growing and maturing a desire and love at first sight into a romantic loyalty. In the performance, the pace of events is very fast, and I strive to present this tumultuous story uncensored as an entertaining romantic comedy drama for every viewer, regardless of gender or age. However, this performance is not suitable for those under 16. In the podcast, due to the lack of time constraints, I provide extensive literary, historical, and scientific explanations alongside the storytelling and poetry readings. However, in the performance, as no book can be completely transformed into a film or play, I had to omit many details without altering the essence of the story. This performance, the result of three years of research and writing, astonishes, excites, makes people laugh, fall in love, and cry. Regarding the one-woman show and the elements used, nowadays, the way stories are told is paramount. This performance is not a poetry night. It is a modernized version of Khosrow and Shirin, written by me. In this experience, I narrate the story from the birth of Khosrow to the death of Shirin using many modern jokes and references. To keep costs low and allow for performances in other cities as part of a tour, I decided to rely more on the text of the play and my abilities as a voice actor and actress, utilizing light, music, and sound as secondary elements on stage. In this 90-minute performance, I portray fifteen characters with changes in voice and body language, accompanied by music and sound, creating a show that, according to the audience, makes them unaware of the passage of time. The reactions have been very positive; we had five successful performances in Toronto, and the audience feedback was excellent. Many could not believe that a 90-minute performance could be executed with just one actor on stage. Some also regretted not having heard this story earlier. Recently, we translated the performance into English and presented it with English subtitles, which was well-received by non-Iranians as well. Performances of 'From Desire to Loyalty' will continue in cities across Canada and the United States. Regarding the potential of classic Iranian stories and poetry for theatrical adaptations, there is undoubtedly untapped treasure in ancient Iranian tales. Anyone who approaches them with sufficient time and creative methods will be met with great enthusiasm. The stories of Shahnameh, Khosrow and Shirin, Haft Paykar, Vis and Ramin, etc., are rich, surprising, and unheard tales that have a high capacity for adaptation into theater, film, or series. Unfortunately, over the past forty years, there has been no investment in research or the production of such works, but successful examples like my performance or those by Hamid Rahmanian, which have been done personally, confirm this claim.