Currently on stage at Homa Theatre in Tehran under the direction of Alireza Akhavan, Fear and Misery of the Third Reich restages Bertolt Brecht’s profound investigation of life and work under fascism through a strikingly contemporary lens. Composed of six short episodic scenes—meticulously selected from the original play’s twenty-four episodes, each depicting ordinary citizens entangled in the machinery of Nazi terror—this performance exposes the ideological mechanisms of fear, conformity, and complicity. Akhavan’s interpretation deepens Brecht’s critique by employing minimalist costumes and gender-neutral makeup, transforming the actors into anonymized bodies—mere speaking animals under the control of the state. These deliberate choices enhance the alienation effect central to Brechtian theatre and also function as a visual metaphor for the dehumanizing force of totalitarian power.
Alireza Akhavan, a graduate of the Master’s degree in Directing, has been working in theater for nearly a decade. He is a writer, director, and actor. He began directing by writing and directing The Pants-Clad Cloud, and then wrote and directed Synthesis at Molavi Hall in November and December 2022. In 2024, he staged the diptych of Synthesis – an experimental, dialogue-free, and act-oriented play – at Shahrzad Hall.
Although an episodic, Brechtian text may be challenging to engage a contemporary professional audience, Akhavan’s modern interpretation and refined dramaturgy keep viewers captivated from the very beginning of the play. The use of music, lighting, and digital media not only contrasts with the text in the mind of the spectator but also fosters identification with the play’s episodes, transcending temporal and spatial boundaries.
It is important to recognize that certain characteristics of Brechtian theatre provide both the potential and the framework for a director to stage such a production. Brecht regarded theatre as an instrument of enlightenment, grounded in a socioeconomic context. For him, theatre functioned as a critical reflection of society, aiming to encourage objective observation, provoke contemplation, and ultimately contribute to social change.
Akhavan constructs heteroglossic dialogues along with Brecht’s text, with the history of totalitarianism as well as with his own time and culture, capturing the diverse social and ideological forces that shape the characters and their interactions. The mappings and light effects incorporate signs and these dialogues simultaneously reflect the underlying power relations and social structures embedded within the world of the play. Drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin’s conception of language as a dynamic, evolving medium shaped by social contexts and power dynamics, the play illustrates how the working class—portrayed as subjugated subjects of the dominant ideological regime—hence engaging more energetically with the multilayered performance directed by Akhavan. The repetition of lines rooted in hegemonic discourse, often laced with irony or humor, serves both as a form of compliance and subtle resistance.
In his reconstruction, markers of gender, race, and identity are removed through the use of makeup and uniform clothing for all actors, transforming their bodies into neutral yet submissive subjects. This semiotic representation of dehumanization and the erasure of conventional identities reflects an ideological and oppressive system that reproduces individuals not as autonomous beings, but as instruments in service of ideological production and subordination. Within the world of the play, bodies are not distinguished from one another; rather, they are assimilated and become ‘submissive labor’—functionaries of a power structure that demands obedience over individuality. This portrayal underscores the objectification of human beings under totalitarian rule. The dehumanized, faceless figures evoke the ‘commodified man,’ wherein individuality and human characteristics are sacrificed in favor of ideological conformity. In such societies, the state not only controls economic resources but also penetrates the innermost layers of subjectivity, rendering individuals silent, indistinguishable, and compliant—speaking animals whose meaning exists only within the commands of sovereign power.
What truly elevates this production is the outstanding performance of the ensemble cast. Each actor shows a remarkable command of both voice and body, delivering lines with clarity and intention while embodying their roles through controlled, expressive physicality. The actors communicate not only through speech but through finely controlled body language, posture, and gesture. Their movements are sharp, deliberate, and deeply symbolic, turning even the smallest gestures into meaningful commentary on power, fear, and conformity. Beyond individual expression, what makes their acting powerful is the remarkable cohesion among them—their performances are strikingly synchronized, as if shaped by a shared rhythm and emotional intelligence. This stylistic unity not only reinforces the thematic core of the play but also increases its emotional impact, revealing a disciplined, collective artistry that is both intellectually rigorous and theatrically compelling.
In this production, the actors do not evoke empathy but provoke reflection; they are not characters to be pitied, but warnings to be heeded. Beyond the consistent and compelling performances of professional actors—aligning with Brecht’s aim to alienate and awaken—the production highlights the enduring relevance of Brechtian theatre in an era marked by rising authoritarianism and the normalization of surveillance and ideological control. This play remains a mirror held up to power, and this staging demonstrates that its message is far from historical—it is disturbingly present. As the seventh episode declares:
Reverence
Tehran, 1404…
Photo (c) Parto Joqatai
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