“a well thought out multi-platform work by a political artist who asks questions.”
“..the National Theatre of Parramatta (NTOP) is staging work that reflects the community and audiences they serve. .“ –
Veronica Hannon
4 /5 stars
A good arts festival is full of surprises: it exposes audiences to new artists and what they want to say about the world around them. Javaad Alipoor has a lot to say. He also has a deep and enthusiastic interest in form. This digital version of his play, Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls In Tehran, co-created with Kirsty Housley, will undoubtedly reach a new generation of theatregoers. There is much appeal for tech natives who embrace and love the virtual space. It is also incredibly engaging for the rest of us. And it feels emotionally right for this time and even changed my perspective of having phones switched on in a live (sort of, live) performance.
Rich Kids is a show where you are kindly asked to bring your devices and a good internet connection. The screen lights and the sounds emanating from other people’s phones – out of sync, allowing for an echo effect in the space – makes for a more involving experience. And in a first, at least for me, the play uses Instagram with the audience.
Here is a tale that unfolds on two screens. On a big screen, the projected images of Alipoor and co-performer, a charismatic Peyvand Sadeghian, reveal the fate of two young lovers. Hossein and the glamorous Paravash, both from the top drawer of Iranian society and with a penchant for flaunting their wealth, died in a high-speed car crash in Tehran in 2015. We are invited to view the couple’s excessive lifestyle by scrolling down their online posts on our small screens. So, in images, their story is told in reverse chronology, from their tragic deaths in a yellow Porsche to the first Instagram post. The audience is encouraged to flit between both screens. All the while, the writers pick apart Iran’s history and political struggles. There is also a meticulous dissection of consumerism and the debris we are willing to leave behind.
Rich Kids is the second part of a trilogy. Following The Believers Are But Brothers in 2017, this is a well thought out multi-platform work by a political artist who asks questions. It never feels gimmicky but rather a broad yet incisive exploration of technology and politics. It is also very much about the nature of time. There is an emphasis on understanding where technology came from and where it might be going.
Alipoor labels himself a “British-Iranian, Manchester-based, Bradford built” theatremaker. Sadeghian is London born, bred, and based creative with a mixed immigrant/refugee heritage. This work celebrates the perspective of the outsider and their vantage point. Alipoor makes you intensely aware of his love for his culture, and the Iranians in the room were only too eager to express their appreciation.
Again, on the banks of a river with a long and complex history, the National Theatre of Parramatta (NTOP) is staging work that reflects the community and audiences they serve. I felt compelled to book for the online performance of Alipoor and NTOP’s collaborative effort, Things Hidden Since the Foundation of The World, the next night. I hope they will join forces again. Both these shows were the highlights of my festival season.
Veronica Hannon, Theatre Now
