Draft:Axis of Coordinates

Axis of Coordinates is a post-modern Iranian drama, by Farid Novin, which was first published in 1972, by the Tehran-based publishing house, Nemooneh. The play, an attempt in avant-garde style, was translated by Zhila Navaran at Tehran's Faculty of Translation.. ·

Plot and main characters

The narrative of play unfolds within a surreal space, centered on the precise moment of the protagonist's demise. "Old Leila," the central figure, meets her end in the presence of her nephew Farrhad, creating a tableau that serves as the frame for the play's exploration of existential themes.

The stage design incorporates metatheatrical elements, featuring a window facing the audience with an adjoining ladder. This combination serves as a portal through which additional characters descend, blurring the boundaries between reality and the beyond.

Among these ethereal visitors is "Young Leila," a temporal counterpoint to the dying protagonist, and a violinist who claims a mythological identity. This musician professes to be Marsyas, the figure from Ovid's "Metamorphoses." The play thus interweaves classical mythology with contemporary narrative, referencing the musical contest between Marsyas and Apollo. In Ovid's tale, despite Marsyas' skill with the flute, he faces Apollo's wrath, resulting in the satyr's flaying—a consequence of challenging the God of Music.

Other diametrically opposed characters include Mary Magdalene, who repented and became a disciple of Jesus and witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection, and Oholibah, an unrepentant character in the book of Ezekiel. Oholibah is depicted as engaging in the Babylonian and Chaldean way of life, engaging in behaviors that are considered transgressive in the context of the biblical narrative.

The play goes beyond mere storytelling, offering a commentary on the human condition. Through its nonlinear structure, mythological allusions, and juxtaposition of past and present, the play invites audiences to contemplate the nature of existence, the passage of time, and the tension between mortal ambition and divine authority. The diverse cast of characters, ranging from biblical figures to mythological beings, creates a multifaceted exploration of human experiences and beliefs across different cultural and historical contexts.

The play's surreal setting and the convergence of characters from various times and mythologies provide a fluid examination of themes such as mortality, redemption, and the cyclical nature of human experience. By placing these disparate elements in conversation with one another, "Axes of Coordinates" challenges audiences to draw connections between seemingly unrelated narratives and to consider the universal aspects of the human experience that transcend time and culture.