8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
1/57
Flying
into
Darkness
Afraz Publications
2014
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
2/57
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
3/57
Flyinginto
Darkness
by
Afshin Hashemi
Translated into English by
Buna Alkhas
Afraz Publications2014
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
4/57
F lying into Darkness / copyright 2014
Translated from Farsi into English by Buna Alkhas
First published in 2014by Afraz Publications
No. 1, Afshar Deadend, Vahid Nazari St., South Felestin St.Tehran, Iran
Printed in Iran
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic,mechanical, or other means; now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing fromthe publisher.
This material is copyright.The author retains all rights; stage, cinema and broadcasting.
[email protected] www.afshinhashemi.com / [email protected] /
ISBN 978-600-326-097-9
National Library of I. R. Iran Data
Afshin Hashemi, 1975 -.
F lying into Darkness / copyright 2014
Tehran, Afraz, 2014128 pages
English- PersianIranian Plays, 21stcentury
Alkhas, Buna, translator
PIR8299/ALEF6685P420138Fa2/62
3377417
Web: www.afrazbook.comEmail: [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
5/57
For Zoheir Yari , Rouzbeh Hosseini
And Mohammad Kh.Who left us while this was being written,
after giving us years of hope.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
6/57
Flying into DarknessLoosely based on the Persian translation by the late Houshang Hesami
from theEnglish translation of the French Two-Headed Eagle
by Jean Cocteau,along with modern world poetry taken from the book
You Were Busy Dyingtranslated into Persian by Mohammad Reza Farzad.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
7/57
From history1:
February 1, 1956: A bill ordering the founding of the Iranian
Secret Service was passed by the Senate.
Reza-Ali Divanbeygi and Ibrahim
Khajenouri were opposed to founding
such an agency in Iran.
March 13, 1956: The Legislative Assembly passed the
same bill without debate or opposition.
March 13, 1957: A royal announcement was made regarding
the impending divorce of Mohammad-Reza
Shah Pahlavi and Soraya Esfandiari-
Bakhtiari.
April 6, 1958: The divorce became official and Soraya
was presented with the documents in
Germany.
November 21, 1959:The engagement of Farah Diba and
Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlavi was
announced, and they were wed a month
later on December 19.
1 . From Chronology of Iran (1896 1979) by Bagher Agheli
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
8/57
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
9/57
Flying into Darkness
This historical fiction takes place
between the Shahs divorce from Soraya in April 1958and his marriage to Farah in November 1959.
List of Characters:Lady Parizad
Mr. Dargahi
Esmail1also known as Morning Lark
Stage setting:A hall or basement in a ruined mansion;
or a semi-burned down theater;
in a city; most likely in Bandar Pahlavi whichis referred to by Lady Parizad as Anzali2, its
former name.
There are furnishings, and a window or doorin the wall. Backstage there is a staircase
leading upstairs.
1. Ishmael in Persian2. Bandar-e Anzali (Anzali Port) is a harbour town ("Bandar" means "port") on theCaspian Sea, close toRasht.Bandar-e Anzali is one of the most important seaports in thenorth of Iran. Anzali Port was also known as Bandar-e Pahlav, during the Pahlav period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Sea8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
10/57
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
11/57
Parizads VoiceThe wind, one brilliant day, called
to my soul with an odor of jasmine:
'In return for the aroma of my jasmine,
I'd like all the aromas of your roses.'
'I have no roses;all the flowers in my garden have wilted.'
'Well then, I'll take the withered petals
and the yellow leaves
and the waters of the fountain.'
The wind left. And I wept.
And I said to myself:
'What have you done with the garden
that was entrusted to you?'1This land has only death. This land kills all
those who wish to sow their fields.
This land... oh, this land...
and nothing can be done about it.
1. The Wind, One Brilliant Day; a poem by Antonio Machado (1875-1939; Spain)
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
12/57
Light.
Dargahi is setting the table. Lady Parizad is standing in
a corner, playing with and shuffling around her papers.
PARIZAD Have you finished with your duties?
DARGAHI Yes, everything is almost done.
The sound of thunder and rain
PARIZAD [walks to the window happily] I havent seenweather like this for a long time!
DARGAHI Dont open it! Flies and mosquitos will get in.
PARIZAD Oh! Ive forgotten how these northern
mosquitos can bite. They are quite
dangerous!
DARGAHI Both the mosquitos and the lightning. The
lightning here has been known to knockdown even the largest trees.
PARIZAD Most of my ancestors trees have already
fallen; there is no need for lightning! I even
saw the trees in Farzads orchard today.
They have dried up during these past five
years, even with all this rain falling from
the sky. Now there are no more trees for
you to be frightened of.DARGAHI [feeling the walls] The walls here are damp.
Dont you have trouble breathing in this
humidity?
PARIZAD [wants to change the subject] Isnt the table set yet?
DARGAHI [placing the last object] Oh, yes! Please forgiveme. I had to rearrange everything to make
sure things were in order. Ive tried to put
everything back in its place. Please excuse
my clumsiness if the table is not as
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
13/57
Flying into Darkness | 13
organized as it was at first. The table had
been set for two, correct? Well, esthetics is
not a good match for security.PARIZAD No, its fine. Everything is in its place.
Dargahi begins to walk away.
Mr. Dargahi!
Dargahi stops.
Put this two-person soiree in your report. It
would be a shame to leave out anything,
especially the humidity!
DARGAHI [smiling] I will attribute this lack of courtesy
to your long journey today.
PARIZAD You are also tired. Write your report before
you lie down on your soft bed. [shows her
papers] As since before your arrival, I have
been doing my paperwork. Although your
presence hasnt allowed me to finishDargai still smiling, begins to walk away, but again is
stopped by Lady Parizads voice.
And, please, forgive me, this is not a proper
place to invite you to stay.
DARGAHI Thank you, very much, I have trouble
breathing in these old mansions. This is my
inheritance: shortness of breath. Onceagain, I beg your leave. Good night. [leaves]
Parizad opens the window. The lights slowly dim. She
lights a candle on the table.
PARIZAD Tonight we dine together... in the very place
where we first embraced [pours white wine in both
glasses] with monsieurs special wine, Shah
crusher as you called it. [brings out a framedphoto of Farzad Paydar, her dead fianc, from an old suitcase
and places it on a broken table, by the lit candles] On our
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
14/57
14 | Flying into Darkness
wedding day, the same day you departed
[smiles and swallows trying to suppress her tears; picks up a
pen, perks up her ears] the sound of a shot fired inthe distance [writes it down] The people are still
enjoying fireworks, on our wedding night
the sky was as wild as it is now, You called
it wild, a wild sky [Again perks up her ears] A
shot rings out close by. [writes it down; then takesoff her necklace and removes something from it which she
puts in a goblet. The white wine turns red. She lifts the goblet,
her hand shaking] To your health! [struggles withherself...]
Lightning! A young man throws himself on to the
stage, from the open window or another place. He is
frightened and disheveled, one side of his body is red
with blood, he is wet from the rain. He resembles
Farzad Paydar, it may indeed be him. Parizad
doesnt believe it. She gets up and goes to him.
PARIZAD [to herself] Farzad?! [slowly goes forward and calls]
FarzadThe frightened youth shouts out and points his
weapon at her. Parizad is frightened and presses her
back to the wall. She is struck dumb. They lock eyes
dumbfounded. The youth steps forward and lowers
his gun.
Youth Hide me somewhere for Gods sake!...
But he runs out of strength and falls face down on the
floor. Parizad lets out a short scream. Shouting and
shots from outside. Parizad pulls herself together,
Blows out the candle. Darkness.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
15/57
Parizads VoiceWhat I write is not history; and no history
until now can match it. A nightly diary that
has yet to be written, anywhere. A diary, a
letter, a testament
for you and about you
in memory of that rainy night you left.A dark night like the times of this land,
and the writing begins like this:
One dark night,
A woman sits thinking of her death
Rain falls on her lovers tomb
Strange and cold winds at her side
And a mirror of the times before her eyesThe moon sets on the rain, the sea turns milky;
In memory of a man who was a poem
Night and the moon and the rain slide into
the poem on this page; this nocturnal diary.
The wind blew away the moon
and the paper darkened.1
1 . Inspired by The Prediction; a poem by Mark Strand (1934; USA)
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
16/57
Shouts from outside, stomping of boots. Light.
Shadows and running. Parizad sits paying no attention
to the sounds. She is playing solitaire, pulling out
random cards. Dargahi runs in, out of breath.
PARIZAD [talking about the cards, ignoring Dargahi] The
outcome will be the same, no matter how
much we shuffle the cards. [ignoring Dargahi,
turns over a few cards]
DARGAHI [out of breath] Thank God nothing happened.
PARIZAD [turning over a king] A king... A king without a
queen!
DARGAHI [talking to someone outside] Search the grounds; I
will search inside the building.
PARIZAD [still ignoring Dargahi, turns over more cards, a queen and a
jack] A queen and a knave! [laughs] It must beme, of course!
DARGAHI [still breathing heavily, to Parizad] Please excuse this
intrusion into your privacy.
PARIZAD [still just playing cards, turn over another] A joker!
The little devil! [to Dargahi] Oh, please, Mr.
Dargahi! Make yourself at home!
DARGAHI With your permission. [begins to leave]
PARIZAD [steps in front of him] How ridiculous! You breakthe lock, enter my chamber and disrupt my
evening. What more permission do you
want? How much more ridiculous can
things get?DARGAHI It is not ridiculous, my lady! If I had not
broken the lock and come in, we could have
been in danger!PARIZAD Danger for whom?
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
17/57
Flying into Darkness | 17
DARGAHI For you! I have told you a thousand times
this mansion is not safe, even the
surroundings are not safe, but you do notheed my advice!
PARIZAD I have no problems here. I am as
comfortable as can be!
DARGAHI Yes, you are comfortable. But I am very
uncomfortable when you are here! My
officers who keep guard night and day are
not comfortable!
PARIZAD Tell them all to go home right this minute. I
do wish to be the reason for the discomfort
of others!
DARGAHI If not for them, there would be a murderer
standing here instead of me!
PARIZAD What would a murderer want? My
permission to enter?
DARGAHI [takes a deep breath] Murderers do not usuallyask for permission!
PARIZAD [pointing at Dargahi] The police arent much
different!... How interesting! Yesterday I
decided on my own that I would be in
Anzali tonight. I set off in the afternoon, the
chauffeur drove quite fast. It had been years
since the doors of this mansion were last
opened. So, isnt it strange that the police,the murderers and everyone else knew
before me where I was? [shuffles in anger]
DARGAHI The rebels have infiltrated everywhere -
PARIZAD [turning a card over] A knave! The young man
who plots against us!
DARGAHI - perhaps they have heard about the betrothal
and want to assassinate our future queen.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
18/57
18 | Flying into Darkness
PARIZAD Only I and Mohammad Reza1 know about
the betrothal... even his sisters and the
Queen Mother do not know about it.DARGAHI Well, it is not just the betrothal
PARIZAD What else is there?
DARGAHI Youve seen the newspapers; and especially
the leaflets.
PARIZAD So!?
DARGAHI New Extravagances in Spending; Budget
Deficit Caused by -
PARIZAD - the building of a new theater and on, and
on, and so?
DARGAHI The excessive spending has heated up the
left; the theater has angered the clergy; your
being a woman has fired up the zealots and
the riffraff.
PARIZAD Im not the first one. For fifty years women
have -DARGAHI Most of them were not Moslem women,
they were minorities who have never been
seen in such a respectful light. The people
think that they make spectacles of
themselves, that they are of ill repute -
Parizad glares at him.
[backs off] It is not my point of view, I amrepeating what the people say.
PARIZAD You always speak for the people!
DARGAHI I do not speak for them; they truly think in
this way. And still you want to build a
theater for these people? And you believe
this will not fire up the religious?
1. Mohammad Rez Shh Pahlav; (19191980) was theShah of Iran from September1941 until his overthrow by theIranian Revolution in 1979. He was the second and lastmonarch of thePahlavi dynasty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah_of_Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahlavi_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahlavi_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah_of_Iran8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
19/57
Flying into Darkness | 19
PARIZAD You are the one who fires up the people!
How else would they have knowledge of
such things?DARGAHI [takes out the last cigarette from his pack[ When did
we do such a thing?! [fiddles around for his lighter
and then lights his cigarette]
PARIZAD Time and time again! For one, when it
rained so hard here in Anzali during the
performance of Tartuffe1 which included a
female actress; the police encouraged a fewextremists to attack the show, saying the
event was put on by socialists. In Tehran
they did it to the Womans Nationalist
Society. They burned their newspapers, the
believers threw stones at them, and the
police just stood by and watched. [pulls the
cigarette out of Dargahis mouth and steps on it] In fact,
whenever you want to suppress anideology, you attack the theater.
DARGAHI Maybe during the reign of Reza Shah2 the
Great, things like this happened, and even
then rarely, but now, never!
PARIZAD So what were you just saying from the
mouths of the thugs and riffraff and the
religious extremists?
DARGAHI I am a mouthpiece for no one, my lady. I
just pass on to you what we surmise they
are saying, things we have overheard.
PARIZAD So perhaps you could pass it on to them that
this place will be rebuilt with what Ive
inherited from my ancestors.
1. Tartuffe or the Imposter; A play by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, a French playwright andactor, better known by his pen name Molire, (16221673).2. Rez Shh Pahlavi (1878 1944) was theShah of theImperial State of Iran from1925 until he was forced toabdicateby the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in 1941.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahlavi_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdicationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdicationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahlavi_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
20/57
20 | Flying into Darkness
DARGAHI The people will not believe this, because the
money is being spent by our future queen.
PARIZAD I have not said yes yet.DARGAHI Your answer is obvious if not; I would
not be here protecting you.
PARIZAD Then go and do your duty!
DARGAHI Rest assured that we will find them soon;
both the assassin and the informer. [walks
toward the steps]
PARIZAD Finding them should not be too difficult!
Dargahi pushes aside the curtains and dust rises.
Other than the Shah and I, only you knew
about this, and only because you are my
protector.
Dargahi begins coughing. Parizad shuffles the cards,
then lays out three cards.
When only three people in the whole worldknow about this, [lays another card aside] then the
informer is one of these three. [turns another card:
the joker] The little devil; its Mr. Dargahi
himself.
Dargahi has a fit of coughing.
[laughs] Im just kidding! Dont take it so
seriously.As if he has completely lost his breath.
Oh, Oh! Allow me to give you a glass of
water. [walks up a few steps and speaks to Dargahi] Now,
truthfully tell me who you think they are.
DARGAHI [trying to fight his coughing] Who?
PARIZAD The assassin and the informer.
DARGAHI [looks at the steps; now that Parizad is gone he looks around]
We do not know who the informer is, but
the scoundrel must be a follower of the
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
21/57
Flying into Darkness | 21
previous queen, one of the Bakhtiaris1 in
the government. There are those who still
hope that Sorayas malady can be cured2.[notices a stain on the floor and rubs it with his finger] But
we are quite sure about the assassin; one of
these relatively popular poets of today. [goesto the steps to be sure that Parizad has not come down; looks
for stains] The same poet who prints his
poems on cheap newsprint, like the leaflets
[finds fresh blood on the railing] which are even now
recited by heart by our school children.[triumphantly pulls a kerchief from his pocket]
PARIZAD [comes up the steps with a glass of water] The poem
Flying into Darkness?
DARGAHI [wiping the blood from his hands with his kerchief] Ive
heard that you also liked the poem. [hides the
bloody kerchief in his pocket]
PARIZAD [walking down the steps] Yes! Unfortunately it
seems as though the old belief is true, that
such insignificant people are not worthy of
fame. [gives Dargahi the glass of water, then with a smile]
Do what you need to do, but leave me out
of it. [goes back up the stairs]
DARGAHI My lady. Make sure the windows are all
shut. Something dangerous could come in.
PARIZAD Then shut them. Yes, do!Dargahi goes toward the window. Parizad stares
straight ahead.
Darkness.
1. The Bakhtiari are a tribe in southwestern Iran2. Princess Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari; (19322001) was Queen of Iran as the secondwife ofMohammad Reza Pahlavi.The imperial couple's marriage had disintegrated byearly 1958 owing to Soraya's apparentinfertility
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infertilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infertilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
22/57
Parizads VoiceDeath flies over this land; everywhere and
always, occasionally by ones own hand,
occasionally by the hand of others; by poison
ordered for oneself or a bullet from a martyr.
And in the end it is just another life taken.Now, where we first met, holding these
scribbled notes in my hand, I sit waiting
Our visit is not far off, you who have always
shared my heart. And now, Esmail, the poet
of the people, with his nom-de-plume
Sword and later Morning Lark, author
of the beautiful poem Flying into Darkness.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
23/57
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
24/57
24 | Flying into Darkness
no proper replies were foreseen for such
circumstances; neither from our side, nor
from the party, nor from your faction.And now, I am neither a queen nor are you
an assassin. So now shall we make up the
rules as we go along. [picks up Farzads photo and
along with the first aid items approaches Esmail] This is a
picture of Farzad, Farzad Paydar, thirty
years old at the time of our betrothal seven
years ago. You were just a youth of
fourteen or fifteen then, uniformed and
waving flags as we rode by. Cant you see
how much you resemble him? [looks at Esmail
who remains silent] It seems as if conversation is
not part of your groups manifesto! [sits down
to bandage Esmails wound] Pull up your shirt.
Esmail pulls away
[leaves the items and stands up] Either let someone
tend to your wound or do it yourself.
Esmail begins to bandage his wound
How did you know I wasnt at the hotel
tonight?... Perhaps one of your informers
told you, but how did you know I was here,
in this place? This mansion has been closed
for years, furthermore it is full of rooms and
you came to the exact one I was in.
ESMAIL I did not know you were here!
PARIZAD How nice to hear your voice... well... now
you know who I am! And you know that
the Shah has asked for my hand. Why dont
you finish what you came here to do?
Esmail remains silent. Parizad looks at the picturethen looks at Esmail.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
25/57
Flying into Darkness | 25
It was a clever choice. Your group knewthat your resemblance would disarm me.
But it did not know that I have been seekingthe angel of death for five years. [looks at
Farzads picture] Tonight, I so wanted to go tohim...but you came
ESMAIL Do not compare me to him.PARIZAD Oh, my apologies, you are right! You are
pure. But he was with the regime,contaminated, a close friend of the Shah.And I am his wife, the one you do not evenwish to resemble. So get on with it! Whatare you waiting for? Kill this Lady Parizad,this excessive lustful debauchee! Is this notwhat they say about me? Is it not rumoredthat another freeloader has been taken in bythe monarchy? Do they not say that some
Westernized woman has taken money fromthe Shah to build a theater? [pushes the gun into hishands] So kill this Jezebel to save the country.This is how you can become a great hero.
ESMAIL You you saved me!PARIZAD Forget about that, for you might never get
another chance. From now on Mr. Dargahiwill make the decisions! He is the one who
will decide what is in his favor; my death,whether by your hand or any others, or mestaying alive and becoming queen. Dontbecome his plaything. Do what you must.
ESMAIL I dont feel well!PARIZAD Ha! Take a look at our rebels! When you
entered, for a second I thought you wereFarzads ghost, I thought his blood was on
you. But you fell on the floor, like a... Ha!True rebels do not fall down like this!
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
26/57
26 | Flying into Darkness
ESMAIL [comes forward holding the gun, with what little strength he
has] Do not ridicule me, Maam! When I
leapt into this room I knew nothing. I wasafraid. When I first arrived, I went straight
to my mothers and waited for orders.
Suddenly the guards attacked. I didnt know
who had set me up. I barely had enough
time to burn some of my writings. I was
lucky that it was stormy out. I was chased
by the guards and their dogs. I ran through
the rocks and the trees and the rubble. Fire
rained from both the land and the sky. I
threw myself into this ruin out of fear. It
was the only thing to do. Suddenly I saw
you standing before me, a woman, alone, in
the middle of the night, inside an
abandoned building! I did not know you
were here, I did not know that this was yourplace, I did not know that you were even
the queen for I would not have hesitated for
even an instant to...
PARIZAD [after a moment of silence; calmly] Do you mean that
we are that bad? [smiling] So show us your
revolutionary spirit.
Esmail tries to lift up his gun but passes out, falling
down on the floor. Silence. Parizad calmly looks at
Esmail and then at the window.
Its overthe storm is oversuch a brief
storm
Darkness
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
27/57
ParizadsVoiceI, lady Parizad would rather be executed by
revolutionaries than be drowned in the sea
or be given a potion to reunite me with my
ancestors. Execution is forever thought
about and spoken about. It is after such an
event that many things become clear. Whodied for what.
So hurry it up;
A white sword in our hand
Like the moon over our land
Shining light on all who stand
On their pillows they lean
Both the king and his queenTheir long scroll of tyranny
So many lies and cruelty
The new moon sword so white
Burning in the fire bright
Wings in darkness spread apart
Splitting open a black heart
The king so full of fear
Runs away far from hereBut however far he is still too near
Together we catch the king
We spread our wings and sing
Now liberated and free
We will rebuild our country
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
28/57
Light.Parizad is standing over Esmail. Esmail opens hiseyes and fearfully aims his gun at Parizad.
PARIZAD [ignoring the gun] How is your wound? [goes to thetable and lays out food and drink that she has brought for Esmail]
ESMAIL [calms down and lowers his gun] Its better.PARIZAD Is it infected?ESMAIL Its just a scratch.PARIZAD So you were able to sleep last night.ESMAIL Yes.PARIZAD We sleep better in our twentys. How old
are you?ESMAIL Twenty-five,PARIZAD Then compared to you I am an old woman.
Have you studied at university? Literature or -ESMAIL I never had the money to go to school.PARIZAD So you know what its about. When I was a
child my nanny read to me. She wasntproperly educated, but she read well andbrought the words to life. [smiling] How doyou read? Id like to hear you read!
ESMAIL What should I read?
PARIZAD [takes a book out of her handbag] Recently I havebeen studying the works of Mirzadeh-Eshghi
1, I plan to adapt it for the stage to be
performed at my theater, providing it getsbuilt. [hands the book to Esmail] Id like to hearthese lines read by a different voice. [points inthe the book] Read from where I have itmarked, thats how far Ive gotten.
1.Mirzadeh Eshghi or Eshqi (1893 - 1924), was a political writer, poet and playwrightofIran.He published newspapers in which he fiercely attacked the political system ofIran, and was murdered by two gunmen in his house in Tehran by order ofReza Shah.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Shahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Shahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
29/57
Flying into Darkness | 29
Esmail wants to open the book to the right page but
drops the gun.
Be careful; its loaded!Esmail loses his composure then regains it.
From here, When the loud shots rang out
throughout our townThe words of an old
man who has lost his sons:
ESMAIL When the loud shots rang out through our town
The bodies of both my sons fell down
One of them took his last breaths in my arms
I watched as in their own blood they drown
With all the love that a father has to give
Since it was for this cause they no longer live
This only for libertys sake I forgive
An end was put to all the darkness and dread
The treacherous bishop with the others fled
The king now a pawn mated by the bishop
But the endgame was not sweet, it did not stop
Again his inner circle and their cohorts
Took over the courtiers and all the courts
They became generals, one the prime minister
No care for the people they were so sinister
Freedom, was why I traded peace for war
Freedom, was what I used all my strength for
Freedom, I gave it the sons my wife bore
I wrote these constitutionalists a letter,
They replied:
Parizad joins Esmail in reciting the poem.
PARIZAD Take our advice and leave these things undone
& Esmail No bread and water come from revolutionFrom this tough revolution, what was to be won?
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
30/57
30 | Flying into Darkness
Esmail stops talking.
PARIZAD Only justice and liberty; owing no one
[says this in explanation] Here the old man speaks:From this tough revolution what wasto be won
Only justice and liberty; owing no one
Yet the result was prison and this cell
Wasting our days in a place worse than hell
What can I say about a revolt ill begun
That it became a tool for every charlatan
The good people lost and the evil wonIf this is change, long live the devils spawn!
Our hearts to the infamous poet we gave
The one who sent so many alive to their grave
As soon as he saw the king fall off his throne
He yelled
Down with the king! more than anyone
Now he has become one of
our well known greatsAnd been made governor of one of our states.
Farzad loved this poem. He said it very
much reminded him of our times, as if it were
written yesterday... Lets read something else.
[rummages through her bag and pulls out a leaflet] Here
it is! [gives it to Esmail]
ESMAIL [takes the paper and reads] As children we sat for
hours watching the sky[is shocked]
PARIZAD I know it by heart but would like to hear it
from its authors own voice.
Parizad stands away, her back to Esmail Esmail is
still hesitating.
I am all ears.
ESMAIL [reads with emotion] As children we sat for hours
Watching the sky pour out showersThe mud and the slime were ours
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
31/57
Flying into Darkness | 31
While others got the plants and flowersAlways starving and hungry
Thirsty in a flooded cityLet the clouds bring the rainWash away cruelty and painMoonshine upon our fruitsPulls up injustice by the roots
PARIZAD How the moon does glowAt war with shadowA white sword in our hand
Like the moon over our landShining light on all who standOn their pillows they leanBoth the king and his queen
ESMAIL [can take no more; crumples the paper and throws it away]Enough!
PARIZAD [laughing] When it came to the part aboutdeath, you were frightened, no?
ESMAIL Do you think that I since do not shoot youwith this gun, it is because I am afraid?
PARIZAD Do you have any other option? When youleave here, you either face Dargahi and thepolice or your own people who will callyou a traitor!
ESMAIL This is what you desire. Why? Have you
decided that I belong to a den of assassins?Only because you lack the nerve to commitsuicide! Or is it not proper, not aristocraticenough? Oh, it lacks humility andsensitivity. But being murdered does! Whatdo I get from this? The honor of being apart of history? Sharing the infamy of thishorrific crime with you? To go down in
history as the killer of the Shahs mistressor our future queen?
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
32/57
32 | Flying into Darkness
PARIZAD Didnt you come here to kill me, dont you
seek equal rights, well then here you are;
your equal right! We have spilled yourblood for years, now it is your turn!
ESMAIL Has it crossed your mind that rather than
being a murderer, I am a poet? That until
now I have never touched a gun. My hands
know only pen and paper. Hasnt it crossed
your mind that -
PARIZAD I forbid you to -
ESMAIL And I forbid you to interrupt me. Did I
interrupt you last night? So listen closely. I
come from the depths of darkness, from a
place you have no idea about, from the
people. I come from those who seek an
inspiration, however small, to live their
lives. This is why we rebelled, to have
inspiration to live.I came here with resolve,a revolutionary resolve, the resolve of a
revolutionary, a resolve that butted heads
against another resolve. When I came to, I
saw another being before me, one creature
before another, a man before a woman
I couldnt understand. It was as if I fell
asleep, into a long deep sleep, yet for just a
few seconds. It was a nightmare. I heardyour voice and woke up. I saw you. The
woman who, the more I thought about, the
less I knew. Why is she saving me? I who
had come here to kill her.
I trembled, I struggled, I fought it, but... I
could only think of youabout why I had
come here and why -PARIZAD I demand silence!
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
33/57
Flying into Darkness | 33
ESMAIL Ha! More demands! For me to be silent,
silence for all! I was sure that we could
never be equals.PARIZAD Equals, us? The Lady Parizad and some young
poet who has sneaked into her chamber.
ESMAIL Then let everyone know; scream, holler!
PARIZAD It is you who are hollering!
ESMAIL I have no qualms about being executed for
my beliefs.
Both Parizad and Esmail seem to hear a noise.
PARIZAD [shocked] The doorbell!
Parizad regains control. She hands the book by
Mirzadeh-Eshghi to Esmail and puts Farzads
overcoat on his shoulders.
Go upstairs. If you hear someone walking
up the stairs, start reading, as loudly as you
were just now hollering. If they ask who
you are, tell them you are an actor, a localactor, some kind of cabaret entertainer who
is planning to bring your show here.
Again they both seem to hear something... perhaps
approaching footsteps.
[to Esmail] Go! Hurry!
Esmail goes upstairs and Parizad walks to the other
side. A moment later Dargahi comes in conversingwith Parizad. He is muddy.
DARGAHI I went to the hotel, didnt see you and
guessed that youd be here and came
straight away. I apologize for my muddy
appearance.
PARIZAD The road was supposed to be paved. As I
remember the funds were withdrawn from
the treasury long ago.DARGAHI [laughs loudly] Your spies serve you well!
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
34/57
34 | Flying into Darkness
PARIZAD Actually no! For such news, there is no
need for the skilled spies you refer to. I read
it a few days ago in the newspaper.DARGAHI Yes, it is true that the funds were
withdrawn, but they had to be redirected for
security purposes.
PARIZAD To protect our future queen no doubt!?
DARGAHI All these expenses are for the protection of
the regime! Whether its you or another, it
makes no difference, expenses to protect
the regime. What does it matter if some
mud ends up on my trousers.
PARIZAD Perhaps you dont care that your trousers are
soiled, but it matters to me what people think.
DARGAHI You are right. Its a good thing for this
nonsense to come to an end. Its good that
you are trying to breach the gap between
yourself and the people. Although its a bitdifficult, yet -
PARIZAD There were no difficulties, No one had any
idea I was coming. I had just gone to collect
fees from some of my lands to build my
theater. The Shahs amorous affections
ruined everything. Such are the virtues of a
queenless Shah! It all began the day after.
Suggestions and messages and responsesfrom and to the Shah, Accusations and
pressure and threats from others! Just think
if they get wind of his proposal! Daily
contempt and insults; from government
officials because Farzad and I supported
Mossadegh1; from the people for our
1. Mohammad Mosaddegh or Mosaddeq (1882 1967), was the democratically electedPrime Minister of Iran from 1951 until 1953, when his government was overthrown in acoup d'tat orchestrated by theBritishMI6 and the AmericanCIA in 1953. Mosaddegh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MI6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MI6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Iran8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
35/57
Flying into Darkness | 35
foreign connections and airs. Not to
mention the jealousy of those who wished
to be queen! And add to these my royalancestry and my deceased husbands
friendship with the Shah during their
university years. In the middle of all this
various newspapers are putting these events
in the spotlight. It seems as if your
organization is funding them as well.
During Parizads speech, Dargahi notices the foodand things on the table, and without Parizad noticing,
looks around the room.
DARGAHI They have performed you a disservice. butyou are also not without fault. For example,your absence at the state religious mourningceremony; that in itself was the product ofthe sick minds of the government officials
and the ideals of the newspaper reporters, isit not so? It was!PARIZAD I myself was in mourning last night, for my
husband.DARGAHI Private and public mourning are not the same.
Government officials must always respectthe customs of the people, for politics.
PARIZAD I am not a government official nor do I like
politics!DARGAHI Politics was the way of your ancestors and
still is, whether you like it or not. Its thesame for me; even though I dont care forinterrogations and investigations and ahundred other such stupidities, it is myprofession!
was then imprisoned for three years, and put under house arrest until his death. He causeda range of progressive social and political reforms such as social security, rent control, andland reforms. His government's most notable policy, however, was the nationalization ofthe Iranian oil industry, which had been under British control since 1913.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
36/57
36 | Flying into Darkness
PARIZAD Is it possible to find out, with these hundredstupidities, what happened to the fees from
these lands? It was your Shah who said itwould be done within a few days.
DARGAHI Up until, now Ive busied myself with lastnights events.
PARIZAD Last nights events?DARGAHI The matter with the assassin and -PARIZAD Ah, yes! What has come of it?DARGAHI I have come for this very reason... to inform
you that he has been apprehended.PARIZAD Who?DARGAHI The poet- [corrects himself] last nights assassin.PARIZAD When?DARGAHI Today at dawn. He tried to escape by sea. I
interrogated him myself. It wasnt clear howhis faction discovered your whereabouts,but we quickly found that out.
PARIZAD What kind of person is he?DARGAHI One of those disoriented and irresponsible
cowards whose disease contaminates oursociety; a poet of course. He confessedeverything after one slap; his name, addressand he gave up his accomplices.
PARIZAD [smiling and staring directly at Dargahi] That is good
news.DARGAHI And I await good news from you.PARIZAD Concerning what?DARGAHI [hands her a telegram] They have sent us a
telegraph, and await your reply.PARIZAD [after a silence] Tell them I havent decided.DARGAHI Then with your permission, I take my leave.
[is about to leave but hesitates] I mean no disrespect,
but I need to ask you this. [with uncertainty] Iknow that your wishes are that no one
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
37/57
Flying into Darkness | 37
should become aware of the proposalthisis very good and it wouldnt hurt if
you enlisted the aid of a few officials; onesthat you trust. I believe -
PARIZAD I know that I am not held in high esteem,neither by the people nor by those in power.
DARGAHI This is not what I meant. I wanted to saythat... [regrets having spoken] Never mind, forgiveme if I have spoken out of turn. Whatshould I tell them?
PARIZAD [pauses] Tell them I am thinking about Farzad.DARGAHI [pauses and then] Perhaps it would be better if we
spoke of this tomorrow. I hope that the goodnews I initially brought makes up for myinsubordination. Will there be anything else?
PARIZAD No.DARGAHI [offers his respects and leaves, only to return again] My
ladyWhat I say to you is said only out ofthe deep respect I have for you. For bothyou and Farzad, who once was a friend ofminewith your permission. [leaves]
Footsteps fade in the distance. Parizad at long lastcollapses. Esmail comes downstairs. He looks aroundmaking sure Dargahi has left. He wants to saysomething but notices Parizads state. Silence.
ESMAIL [calmly] Were you deeply in love with him?
PARIZAD [notices Esmail] The clothes suit you. Theywere Farzads winter clothes.
Lights fade. Darkness.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
38/57
Parizads VoiceFarzad; friend and university chum of the
Shah; yet an advocate for political
prisoners. The whole time he stood by
Mossadegh against the Shah. So much so
that he refused to publicly welcome him
home. Yet the Shah loved him for hishonesty. He could have easily had the
position of prime minister or chancellor,
especially since after the coup dtat, the
Shah needed someone from the people, yet
he never chose to do so. He was contented
to write his historical essays, some of which
he published in the newspapers[takes a deepbreath] The pure and good-hearted people of
this land either kill themselves or are killed
by others. It is as if this land does not
tolerate purity.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
39/57
Light.
Parizad and Esmail sitting across from each other at
the broken table with Farzads framed photograph
between them.
PARIZAD He wanted to build a better world, but he
did not live long enough. On our wedding
day a man in the street ran forward carrying
flowers. I thought he pushed the flowers on
Farzads chest out of devotion... I smiled
there was a gun in the flowers a shot
his white shirt turned crimson... [with a bitter
smile] a revolutionary execution! As simple
as that.
ESMAIL Sometimes guns are fired in error. And we
do not understandDid you truly mean tokill yourself that night?
PARIZAD It is better that I die than be the mother of
the next Shah. After all this hatred for the
monarchy, how can I turn my back on all
my beliefsI dont know I do not know
anything... perhaps he asked me to marry
him because I refused his invitation to sleep
with him! Ha! It wouldnt be the first time!Beware of the day when blue bloods should
desire something!
ESMAIL When I was burning my papers I did not
think of such things.
PARIZAD Why not?
ESMAIL I did not think it would be possible...
PARIZAD No... why did you burn your papers?ESMAIL What? For fear of interrogation.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
40/57
40 | Flying into Darkness
PARIZAD Were they poems?
ESMAIL Yes!
PARIZAD What a shame!
ESMAIL If I hadnt burned them yesterday, I would
have burned them today. Some were against
you, against the Shahs mistress or the
future queen!
PARIZAD [smiles bitterly] One who gives sanctuary to a
revolutionary cannot become queen, even if
she wanted to. The remaining, compromisingand reforming that Farzad spoke of were
just dreams. Nothing can be done. [smiling]
That is why each year at this time I want to
commit suicide I go through the actions
yet do not dare. [shows necklace] He put this
around my neck on our wedding night.
There was perfume in it. Now it hassomething to connect me with my ancestors.
[takes off necklace] It kills quietlywith all the
mingling; all the smiles, no one knows you
are carrying death around in your
automobile, accelerator to the floor, a few
moments later a cliff and fire but you were
already dead everything was prepared, on
our anniversary, in the very place where wefirst embraced, on the day he died... but
then suddenly you appeared... you look so
much like Farzad.
Silence. From this moment on it seems like everything
happens in a dream in the candlelight. The flames
dance on the faces and there are shadows all around.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
41/57
Flying into Darkness | 41
ESMAIL From childhood I heard from the altars that
Allah mojeebadavat1; which means God
hears what we say, he can fix many things.Why suicide? Suicide is a sin. There are a
thousand other paths to choose. Why do
you never try for the peoples support? I
come from among them... among those who
wish you dead, but they brought me to this
world. They do not know you. So go among
them. Speak with them. Tell them what you
will do if you become queen. I and
thousands like me will tell them that all that
has been said about you are lies. The people
will believe us; because we are from them.
Then accept the Shahsproposal. After that
the loyalists cannot oppose you since they
are dependent on power. And your power
will be from the people. The people whoare in such darkness that they are attracted
to the smallest flicker they would give
their lives if they knew that there is one
person in power who has them in mind. If
you do this the people will worship you.
PARIZAD Years ago I read a French play about a
queen who wished to go amongst the
people. In public carriages, on foot... [as if she
recalls the original lines] I want my people to see
me and I them. I want them to love me, for
I want to be their queen. As soon as I
become queen I will free all political
prisoners. I will welcome my people with
open arms and ask for their help. This is my
first step on my path to the people
1. An Arabic prayer
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
42/57
42 | Flying into Darkness
ESMAIL And I shall run to the jungle; to Siahkal1or
some other place and wait for you to be
victorious. Then, like an eagle, I will fly toyou wherever you are, for it will not be
important where I am. It will matter that
things are changing for the better,
reformation! You and the people will be a
double-edged sword, like the sword of Ali2.
You and the people, the people and power.
PARIZAD [struggling to breathe, runs to the window, takes a deep breath.
silence] How calm it becomes after a storm!
ESMAIL [approaching Parizad calmly] Do not tell me one
short breath can change everything.
Esmail takes the necklace from Parizadshands and
wants to go closer.
PARIZAD [stops him] Be still Let things stay as they
are; awake or a dream, fact or fiction. Let it
stay as it is.Then if we want, we can see it when we are
awake.
ESMAIL If this dream comes true, then [struggling to not
show his emotions] everyone will love you... we
all will love you... I am speaking for the
people [with difficulty and awkwardly] Ilo-
PARIZAD I must become queen! True?
ESMAIL [hesitates a bit] Of course. You must become
the queen Become the queen...
The Shahs wife.
Esmail places the necklace on the table
Darkness
1. Siahkal: small town and district on the Caspian Sea.2. Al ibn Ablib (600 or 607 661) The cousin and son-in-law of the prophetMohammad, and Caliph from 656 to 661. Ali was also the first male who accepted
Islam. He wielded a double-edged sword known asZulfiqar.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
43/57
Parizads VoiceIs this all an illusion? Or is there truly hope?
Dargahi knows the answer!
Dargahi; secret service agent.
My bodyguard by the Shahs direct order.
Yet neither my life is of import to him northe Shahs command.
He only cares about founding and heading
an intelligence service.
Despite his backing by those in the present
regime, I asked the Shah by telegraph to
dispense with him.
The first step toward a great goal.Can it be achieved?
Doubts, doubts, doubts
We go forward looking back
What a hell it was, what a heaven
The people of my land review the future.1
1 . Nostalgia for the Present; a poem by Andrei Voznesensky (1933; Russia)
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
44/57
Light.
Esmail is writing; surrounded by letters and
envelopes. Dargahi enters and sees Esmail seal an
envelope and begin writing another letters.
DARGAHI You are a great man, I congratulate you!
Esmail gets shocked, quickly stands up.
Is the Lady not here?ESMAIL [keeps his composure] She is out but will soon
return.
DARGAHI Excuse my not informing you of this visit.
In my profession the next move is always
unknown. Yet, this very profession - oh, I
havent introduced myself. How would you
know my profession! I am Dargahi; asecurity service agent. As I was saying, this
profession contains many poetic nuances,
quite a few. It depends on simple yet
unpredictable things. You being a poet
yourself can understand this better than any
other. Am I correct in saying you are a poet?
ESMAIL I write poetry, from time to time.DARGAHI Here is where one can witness the strength
of art! What politicians with all their
boasting could not accomplish, the artists in
one night have brought to fruition. How
were you able to change the ladys mind?
ESMAIL I know not of what you speak. I am here to -
DARGAHI Then you are not he who...? Oh, I thoughtthat -
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
45/57
Flying into Darkness | 45
ESMAIL I am not who?
DARGAHI The rebellious poet who overnight turned
from insurgent to government servant. [picks
up an envelope, looks at it] Who for a month now
has been writing praises and sending them
here and there.
ESMAIL [insulted yet maintains composure] Im not sure I
follow you. I am here assisting the revision of
some plays for Lady Parizad, nothing more.
DARGAHI What I mean isonly art can bring a
rebellious grief stricken widow around with
such fervor to accept the Shahs proposal,
and then go through our streets on public
transportation, sit at the side of the masses,
holding their children on her lap.
ESMAIL I have no knowledge on the subject of the
Shahs proposal nor about the poet you
mention, yet if the Lady is doing such
things, she does so to breach the gap between
herself and the people. The result has nothing
to do with art.
DARGAHI Who said such a thing?
ESMAIL It really has no connection, it is a reaction -
DARGAHI Not that... the there being a gap between
herself and the people who was it that
said this... or is saying it?
ESMAIL [realizing his mistake] I didnt say there is a gap, I
said that the reason might be for -
DARGAHI [as if he has uncovered something] Aha! I thought you
looked familiar! You are the splitting imageof her deceased fianc. Are you related?
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
46/57
46 | Flying into Darkness
[becomes kind] You seem tired, please sit down;
in this semi-dark ambience of intellectuality
you must feel very comfortable. Especially
since intellectuals must have such comforts.
Especially now that the accomplishments of
your comrades will have a place to be
displayed, what with the completion of the
theater... Please, do sit down; you are not at
police headquarters. [sits and pours himself a glass
from a pitcher; notices the necklace on the table] You
know, that night, about a month ago, when I
came to see Lady Pariz -, from now on, Her
Majesty, I imagined - forgive me - but I
imagined that you were here, hiding
somewhere, eavesdropping on us.
ESMAIL I have just recently become acquainted with
Lady Parizad, I do not know of where or
which evening you speak, and it is not right
that -
DARGAHI No! No! Do not misunderstand me, do not
be angry! I did not say you were here, I said
I imagined that you were here! However, I
could not say anything directly to the Lady.
An agent must always be careful, for this
reason I employed an old trick. I said that I
had apprehended you, interrogated you, that
you confessed that you planned an
assassination and that you gave up your
accomplices and so on. I had hoped, I speak
of that night, I had hoped to tread on yourhonor and that out of sympathy for an
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
47/57
Flying into Darkness | 47
innocent you would show yourself. Lady
Parizad knows of this ruse. That is why she
looked me directly in the eyes when she
spoke to me. She is really quite intelligent!
But regarding you, you kept it to yourself in
such a way that I respectfully take my hat
off to you!
ESMAIL [a bit flustered] What do you want from me?!
DARGAHI Ill tell you. Because you tried to make me
believe what you say, I admire you. The
Lady has made up her mind... and will most
likely become the queen. This is indebted to
your endeavors... or at least I like to think so...
and, I am ready to wager that I am correct.
Esmail wants to speak. Dargahi stops him.
Allow me to continue! Now Lady Parizadwishes to travel to the capitol, but what will
be the outcome of this pleasure trip? All the
officials will be pleased that the leader of
our country will once again be living with a
queen; just the fact that we have a queen!
But what is on the other side of this? She
will be considered reluctant in her duties,regarded as lowly, accusing others of
conspiracy. Ha! Conspiracy! Do you know
how many times she has said such things
just in this past month? Things like When I
become queen Ill do this, Ill do that,
and all this before making her final
decision. And now that she is becomingqueen she needs to know what is expected
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
48/57
48 | Flying into Darkness
of a queen; pomp and grandeurThat is all!
We are in need of an influential man, who
is not in the government. We do need such
a man! A man, who can control Lady
Parizad; to ensure her that the government
is on her side. To assure her that she has no
great duties. To be just a symbol, that is all.
Do you understand what I am saying?
ESMAIL If I am by her side... for the reason of my
great resemblance to her late fianc, Dont
you think -
DARGAHI Yes! How right! You have the potential to
cause a great scandal -
Esmail wants to speak. Dargahi stops him again.
- but with the help of the regime and some
other forces everything will end well.ESMAIL And if I stay by her side and do not
cooperate with you?
DARGAHI Both of you will be disgraced! Very easily!
The proposal for marriage will be retracted,
instead of being queen she will be known as
the woman who sought queenhood to get
revenge for the death of her fianc, for thisreason she conspired with a rebel who had
an uncanny resemblance to her ex-fianc,
and now after the coming to light of the
illicit affair of the Lady with the rebel and
the diabolic goals of their rebellious faction,
to cause chaos in order to blackmail the
Shah and then escape the long clutches ofthe law. It is easy as this!
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
49/57
Flying into Darkness | 49
ESMAIL But if I use my connection slyly and hand
her over to you bound as a gift, then you will
erase my name from the list of terrorists!
DARGAHI Who spoke of handing her over?! And to
whom; What for?! All we ask of you is to
hinder some probable events, that is all!
ESMAIL And in return?
DARGAHI Freedom. And even a job! In her officeor
where ever you desire, with a good salary.
ESMAIL Is it worth it?
DARGAHI If you spend some time in jail youll know
how valuable it is. And let me add this in
confidence, the powers of government
cannot be overthrown overnight. Even if
you have something planned it is better to
be within the system.
ESMAIL Thats enough! Enough of your old tricks!
The people know everything now. They
know this government doesnt want a
libertarian and anti-coup dtat queen! They
fear being seen for what they are. This is
why they are putting out false rumors and
thousands of lies about her! They pay the
newspapers to slander her. But things have
changed, the people know everything. They
know you want to take away her power
because she wants to disrupt the foundation
of this regime! So much the better that this
woman, before becoming queen is seen
with a man resembling her deceased fianc!Whether as an advisor or co-worker or
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
50/57
50 | Flying into Darkness
whateverPlay your games as long as you
wishbut beware!... This time, the people
are standing behind her I would not like
to change places with you.
Esmail begins to leave. Dargahi is silent. He makes a
decision and quietly takes out a gun.
DARGAHI You are under arrest for the crime of
conspiring to kill the queen!
ESMAIL [shocked] I... I am under her protection!
DARGAHI And protecting her is my responsibility,
even against her wishes or in her home; and
this is not even her home.
ESMAIL You cannot do this.
DARGAHI Of course, I can, do not doubt it! But first
let me tell you a story so you have
something to think about at your execution!
One day a young man, a member of some
unknown political faction, goes home to
visit his family. As he kissed his mother the
agents arrived. Who knew where he was?
Only he and his faction! But this is not
the time to think about such things. He has
to destroy his worthless papers, to escape
from the agents, is this possible? If he must,
he must! It is the only thing to do! Escape
through the jungle, the lightning, running
through mud and slime, jumping over
walls The youth sees an open window.
Can he get in? If he must, he must! It is the
only thing to do! The youth enters and isshocked. A beautiful woman, elegantly
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
51/57
Flying into Darkness | 51
dressed, heavily made up in the middle
an old mansion! What is she doing there at
this time of night? But this is not the time to
think about such things. Can he fall in love
with this woman? If he must, he must; even
if she is the future queen and you have
come here to assassinate her. It is the only
thing to do! The game starts here.
Now all the people love the new queen for
this is what their poet wanted. There is no
more gap. She is the sweetheart of the
masses. And what if the masses dislike us?
Either I will be dismissed with a telegraph or
I will be sent to a different posting; it makes
no difference. It only matters that we exist.
The Shah, the queen, the regime exists.
So, my good pawn, with complete bravery
you have gotten to the last line. And now
you must leave the board and be replaced by
the queen, and we continue our game.
It was an interesting play. Act one: the plan
to kill the future queen. Act two: persuade
the future queen to accept the Shahs proposal
to be his wife and gather supporters for her.
Act three: the death of the foolish hero.
Once again, thank you for your role. Wait
here to be taken into custody. [picks up the queens
necklace and studies it] This must be expensive.
Is it an antique? Put it someplace safe.
[throws it to Esmail
] It might get misplaced here.[begins to walk away but stops] By the way, did you
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
52/57
52 | Flying into Darkness
know that Lady Parizad herself is a
playwright and wants to turn this place into a
theater? [leaves]
ESMAIL [in disbelief] But this is not possible, Lady
Parizad would never lie to me.
DARGAHI [stops in the doorway] The Lady Parizads of this
world always lie, recall your own poems!
Queens, from Cleopatras time until her
own grandmother Mahd-e Oly1 and even
herself, not much has changed. They set
examples and instructed each other. If they
have slaves, they put them to work; if they
are threatened, they use flattery; if they
have a lover, they kill him... I beg your
pardon, first they drag him through the
mud, then they kill him. I bid you good
night, even though it is daytime. [leaves but his
voice echoes from outside; jokingly] The bad thing
about these old mansions is just this, it
seems to be night even during the day.
Sweet dreams!
Esmail is dazed and lost. He looks at the letters,
muffled sounds of long live and Viva are heard
from outside. The shouts attack his ears. He looks atthe necklace. He takes it up with shaking hands.
Darkness.
1. Mahd-i Uly or Mahd-e Oly, was a common title for empress mother, mothers ofShahs, or crown princes in Iran during theSafavid andQajar eras. One of them, whowas Nasseredin Shahs mother, was very cruel and cunning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safavid_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qajar_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qajar_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safavid_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
53/57
Parizads VoiceDeath rains on this land
and there is no umbrella to protect it.
So you know beforehand that a flood of
death is coming and there is no dam.
Love says stay, but logic urges you to leave,
which one will you answerin this realm of darkness.
The desire for the colors and bright lights of
the other side; and the memories of
mugginess and the muddy alleys on this side;
the memories of the ignorance and lack of
culture and superstitious worship and
middlemen on both sides.Oh, if only these were just nightmares that
would disappear with the dawn
Oh, for memories of love and of this land, I
want to weep so my tears may turn this desert
into a meadow
Oh, these dreams are just hallucinations of a
weary mind waiting for perhaps a miracle...
a miracle?... Hmm!Further and further on... we will drown in
expectation... in expectation for the one who
will one day come with his boat to save this
landyet when that day comes we shall all
have withered away.
And now, the final line of my letter, or will
and testament, or play that I write for you,
with ink that is mixed with my blood.
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
54/57
Light, perhaps from a fire.
Esmail is burning the papers and letters and is lying
motionless in a corner, the necklace is in his hand and
the half full vial is in front of him. Parizad is calm. As
if once again in a dream flight.
PARIZAD What stories will be told of our romantic
times! About the love between the peoples
poet and a bloodthirsty queen! But I was nota queen. I was in love, in love with a man,
with a land. [walks toward Esmail with less than stately steps]
ESMAIL I went in to a tavern one night. I threw a
stone at the framed picture on its wall.
I always hated the government and its
leaders; from the king to the bribe-taking
police in the streets. They chased me. They
beat me til morning. And the loyalists?They drove around uptown and laughed at
us So I wrote poetry. I wrote my poetry
down, against the government, against
power, for the people and the people
loved me Until one day when I entered
this theater... and saw you... you who I had
composed poems against and the game
began... now the people love you. [lifts up the
necklace]You said it was gentle. So stay andlook into the face of a foolish poet.
PARIZAD [removes her shawl; her blouse is bloody and there is a bullet
hole] Last month, when you came, it was
important for me to have a great death, and
when the bullet struck me today, I wished a
thousand times over that it were your bulletthat entered my liver. But who knows?
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
55/57
Flying into Darkness | 55
Perhaps it is better like this. Perhaps if we
had become part this regime, we would
have lost face. Or we would have becomelike them, perhaps the people would have
been beaten down. Perhaps there is no such
thing as the people, and all these shouters of
slogans would retreat after their first attack,
abandoning us to face the dragons of the
enemy alone, perhaps just as they so quickly
cheered for us, they would also cheer for
another and a thousand other perhapsWe
were supposed to be a two-edged sword.
You and I; the people and the power. When
even one edge of this sword ceases to exist,
then it is better that the other half should
also not be. [takes up pen and paper with bloody hands
and writes] And these are my last lines, written
with ink that is mixed with my blood. Aletter, my last will and testament, or my play
written for you who nothing stood in your
way
[writes and reads] neither good times, nor calm,
neither a stormy sea,
nor a woman who warned you.
You were busy dying
You let the cold crawl through your clothesYou let blood seep into your stockings
Your face paled, Your voice cracked in two
And nothing stood in your way
You were busy dying.
Neither the life you wanted, nor the life you
had, nothing stood in your way...
You were busy dying.
1
1 . Inspired by the poem Your Dying by Mark Strand (1934; USA)
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
56/57
56 | Flying into Darkness
[to Esmail who speaks no more] You wanted to say
I love you that night... and now you are
dead. When a poet dies, God is the first toknow.
1Now, I want to tell you, that I also
love you; even though you are dead.
And, well, death always ends romantic
dramas... perhaps tomorrow morning
another drama... without a bitter ending...
tomorrow morning...
Now, it is nightit is late
Perhaps someone is singing, someone in the streets
passing by, a song from the times of the constitutional
government, perhaps Cry by Aref Ghazvini2.
December 2002June 2003
F inal revision: June of 2012
1 . A poem by Fazl Hsn Dalarca(19142008; Turkey)2 . Aref Qazvini; Iranian poet, lyricist and musician. (1882 - 1934)
8/9/2019 Flying Into Darkness
57/57
This play was performed as a playreading in April
2004 in Ershad Theater in Abadan, performed byShabnam Moghadami, Seyed Mehrdad Ziyaie and
the playwright himself. Then in January, 2012 it
was selected as one of the best plays of the year by
The Iranian Drama Institutes. It was performed in
the Av Theater from June until September 2012. The
complete line-up for these performances were:
Actors:Shabnam Moghadami / Elika AbdolRazaghi )Lady Parizad(
Milad Rahimi (Esmail)
Afshin Hashemi )Dargahi(
Music: Reza Mortazavi (Singer: Hadi Feyz-Abadi)
Decorator: Aran Ebrahimi
Directors assistants: Ehsan Bayatpour, Mahan Khorshidi
Brochure & Poster Designer:Saman KhadamCostume Designer: Baran Kosari )assisted by Samaneh Hosseini- with special thanks to Donya Madani)
Photographer: Mehrdad Emrani (with special thanks to NegarHassan-Zadeh, Studio Ochra)
Metal framing:Saeed Bojnurdi
Designer & Director: Afshin Hashemi