What follows is the result of an idea to connect the field of philosophy and thought with the world of drama. Let us choose sentences to ponder from the statements of the members of the philosophical group, which are archived in the “Chistiha Blog” (http://chistiha.blogfa.com); and after manipulating the concepts of those statements, and doing a brief exercise and editing, let us create a dramatic idea that will continue to form another dialogue, another concept, and another thought.
In the principles of drama writing, “ideation” and “drafting” have a specific method; but we tried to be one step before the idea and plot. At the same stage of mental spark or, in our own words, the “study” stage, where the writer’s hand is open to writing down any image, concept, or point. Here, we have not limited ourselves to not mentioning the technical instructions, performance arrangements, dialogue, staging, and other matters, leaving them for more detailed plans; on the contrary, we have completely written down whatever came to mind at the moment.
During our group sessions, we came to the conclusion that it was not necessary to have refined and precise plans from our discussions. It was only necessary to immediately edit and record whatever came to mind as a “study.”
And now we share the same with you. May these exercises and sketches be the beginning of a path to step on the bridge between philosophy and drama.
Ideas on the Bridge from Philosophy to Drama: Etude One Hundred and Twentieth
Note: These sketches have been registered with the Islamic Culture and Guidance Department. And the intellectual property belongs to the author.
These sketches are only allowed to be republished on the “Chistiha” site.
Idea number one hundred and twentieth
Etude 120
Initial proposal and statement for a philosophical fantasy series
The main character is called “Mum Memory”, who is called “Mamafaze, or Mamafaze, or Mafaze, or Mafaze, or Mafe, Mafi, or … even Anna, or Ainde, or Mam Sharqi” throughout the film, and her name changes depending on her relationship with people.
This character is a fantasy that comes to life in the minds of different people. Of course, she uses various magical powers from time to time. But these unreal people and extraordinary events are placed in the heart of events in such a way that they seem natural and real.
Who is Mum Memory?
In the middle of the series, we will find out why Mum Memory is called Mum Memory.
Since he came to life many years before the seventh and eighth centuries (at the height of Iranian art and Persian poetry and literature) (and Hafez did not know this), he has survived to this day. And he has gained power over the earth. But all his works are also funny.
He has interesting and funny behaviors. And this allows the series to be taken towards the surreal while being real. A magical realism.
All the games and characters in this series are on the verge of realism and the character of a formic drama.
The presence of Mamafez is as follows: whenever a person has a wish or prayer in solitude that contains nostalgic longings, Mamafez appears.
The structure of the series is as follows: in each part or episode, first an event happens to a person and then with the presence of Mamafez, that bitter event turns into something informative for that person. Of course, this is not all about slogans and superstructure, but rather about the best filmic expression. According to the patterns of series like this, for example, Doctor Who.
It is only in the middle of the series and almost the last episodes of the series that we realize that probably at one stage of her life, she was also the first lover of the famous Iranian poet, Khwaja Shams al-Din Hafez Shirazi. And she has memorized all of Hafez’s poems. And she lived with them. But in all her advice and with her strange mannerisms, she forbids us Iranians today from thinking crookedly about these poems. And in general, she warns us that the root of all your wanderings is that you are stuck in such abstract thoughts that are written solely to enhance the atmosphere of Hafez’s poetry (mystical-romantic). Sometimes she says interesting things and has important opinions; for example, she says that Japan came after the atomic bomb and put Sony on the table of the Americans, but we Iranians have not been able to. What is the reason?
What is this story in the dramatic plot of the series itself and in the end, the main thread of the drama?
Although this series does not have a clear ending and can be produced for years and decades, and its production continues until it becomes part of people’s memory, in general, at the end of the series or almost the end of it, we realize that the character of Mamafza is a radical leftist or organized leftist. He is sensitive to right-wing thoughts in all parts of the world. From the Evangelical Church to any other right wing. He even has doubts about moderation sometimes; as when he looks back at his memories, he sees that he has criticized Khajeh Hafez himself on many occasions, but at that time he never returned to them during their years of love. Only on the last day did he go to the desert. However, he still remembers Hafez’s humor. And interestingly, sometimes he complains about this humor. And sometimes he even forbids himself from making these jokes.
There is also a possibility, in a subtle way, that this lover escaped from the midst of Hafez’s poetry; and it is from Hafez’s poetry that he drank the water of life; not before.
One of the poems that is interpreted in the dialogues of Mamafza is:
With the harlot’s bee and the beloved of life passes
I will stop working from today
With the question of why the Iranian man or the Iranian subject is not a worker?
And also this poem:
The state is that which comes to the side without bloodshed
And not with effort and action, the garden of paradise is not all this
With the question of why should a statesman be entrusted to me, the Iranian subject, without suffering and toil? Why is inaction so much admired in this land.
And of course, the defenders of Hafez here have the right to have complete defenses on these verses and similar verses that in poetic expression, such rulings have been and are permissible. And they do not contradict the way of life of a person. And the like. And we will witness these defenders talking in the form of the characters of this series with Mamafza – without harming the drama of the series.
Mamafza is also a healer. A guru-like healer. She is familiar with all kinds of herbal remedies.
And because she is a woman, her relationship with women is intimate; and this is what sets this series apart from other films and series.
In general, we, the audience, should be made to think. We should think about many identity issues. We should think about where mysticism is in Iran: in prayers. Not just prayers in Arabic. But the same prayers and motivational sentences that have filled our internet. Telegram and WhatsApp and Instagram messages. And all these channels. Which no longer have Iranians or non-Iranians. The West and the East of the world are writing these motivational sentences. Even TED programs. TEDx Program
But in Iran, more than anywhere else, it seems that these prayers and instructive sentences and modern moral advice for modern seekers have become popular. Everywhere, including: in Imamzadehs, in Mashhad, in Qom, under sacred trees, inside sacred wells. And many other places.
This series also deals with the hedonistic and happy-go-lucky lifestyle of most of our people.
This lifestyle is even seen in online games. And that everything in life and all the daily activities of the general public are shaped around happiness and the pursuit of wealth. And that the fun-loving, pleasure-seeking, profit-seeking, individualistic subject who has to save himself in a brutal competition does not realize how much he has lost to non-Iranians and has been fundamentally unaware of the nature of life. And the result of a lifetime of so much worldliness should not be. The Iranian person is constantly seeking answers to problems that are all material from beginning to end. And he is so caught up in this maze and labyrinth that he does not notice anything except his daily life. And he cannot think of anything other than his individual self.
And all this is absolutely not limited to the citizens of big cities. Everywhere in our villages, people are also caught up in daily life.
In this series, Mamafza can go anywhere: among tribes, religious people, religious families, supporters of the regime, opponents, children, men, women, girls, boys, modern lovers and their concerns, … and people in the middle class who have money but don’t know what to do except change their houses and cars; and write nonsense, nonsense, and nonsense in the virtual world and create an atmosphere in small, anonymous groups.
In this diverse population, there are even mirror-gazers, fortune-tellers, fortune-tellers, and prayer writers.
In general, people whose lives, in many cases, are accompanied by sexual freedom, and wasteful consumption and shopping, are accompanied by lethargy and thoughtlessness in a way of spending their lives that is, in a better sense, the nullity of life. For example, instead of thinking about freedom as the original concept of political and identity freedom, they seek freedom. And basically, these people don’t think much at all.
Then, on the other hand, they also have sorrow for their past. A nostalgic past.
Now the task must be determined with “nostalgia”. The word “mamafaze” is the therapist of nostalgia. Nostalgia in its genealogy goes back to a patient and a disease.
“Mirror” plays a key role here. And the phrase “nostalgia”. Sometimes the word “mamafaze” appears from inside the mirror. Occasionally we see that as soon as the word “nostalgia” comes out of the mouth of a lonely person, the word “mamafaze” will come to him.
What is this nostalgia that is reviewed? The French city of the 30s, the small-sided football of the 40s, and the narrow and green alleys. And even the nostalgia of the eight years of war.
And that neoliberalism in Iran is the handiwork of today’s Iranians. And Iranians are very lazy in terms of thinking. That is, they don’t like to think at all. Maybe because of their way of life and their beliefs, this has been the case throughout history. Of course, many Iranians are also hardworking. But perhaps it can be said that they work in vain.
The story of this series starts from Shiraz and will stretch to Kabul and Balkh and… It will go through all the border cities. And maybe it will take several decades. And the actress will also change. Several actors can play this role.
Every time this woman appears in a strange dress, she attracts attention to the character who saw her for the first time. And the important thing is that no one is afraid of her. No one is even surprised that she is standing in the yard of her house and seems to have been thrown from somewhere far away. Or appeared through the middle of the mirror. Everyone treats her as if she is a friend who has arrived.
Sometimes more than one person sees her. That is, it is not the case that in each episode there is only one person on the other side of his conversation. And he is not alone. He has powers that are magical and sometimes come to his aid and help a person who is in trouble return to his past; and experience something he wished for but did not achieve. And finally, of course, each time the story must end in such a way that that character realizes that his life was the best of all the choices and wishes. The same life and experience that he had.
The fact that everyone is close to Mamafza should not harm the drama. And for this purpose, sometimes it is necessary that out of two or more people who see him, one of them is against him. And even fights with him.
This sketch will be completed when at least ten characters and ten episodes have been written. For now, it is nothing more than a statement.
Author: B. Khosravani
It is recalled that any copying and extraction of these ideas, from an ethical and legal perspective, is only possible by mentioning the address, and use for performance will only be possible if the author’s written consent is obtained.