The intimate presence of architecture in Arby Ovanessian’s theatre is among the prominent characteristics of his artistic work that necessitate exploration. His theatre develops and nurtures exceptional ties between the narrative, the performance and the chosen site – the attributes and dormant qualities embedded in the place. If the places are historical, they come out of their passive state and become infused with theatrical dimension, allowing them to participate in the performance at the present time. Ovanessian’s production of “Vis and Ramin” staged at the ruins of Persepolis at the 4th Shiraz Arts Festival (1970) originated this intimate and mysterious relationship with architecture in his work. Before the backdrop of the walls and columns of Persepolis, the perpetual lovers Vis and Ramin come to life and become reunited. The performance, in return, gives a new meaning to the ancient stone engravings.
The paper investigates how architecture and its spatial experience are involved in the theatrical creation of Ovanessian. Touching upon specific examples, “Vis a Ramin” at Persepolis, “All at Once, ‘Beloved of God…’” at the Bagh-e Delgosha in Shiraz, the production of Albert Camus’ “Caligula” at Persepolis, “There Appeared the Knight…” at the tomb of Artaxerxes at Persepolis, and the production of Chekhov’s “Cherry Orchard” in Bagh-e Ferdows, this article intends to investigate Ovanessian’s exceptional ability to create reciprocity and correlation between the theatre performance and architectural environment of the place.
The places and buildings chosen for his theatre become attuned with the performance: they become part of the theatrical event. The expression of the architecture becomes compatible with the expression of theatre. This is a crucial characteristic of Ovanessian’s theatre: making the places theatrical. The spatial qualities of the place intertwine with the plot, moods, stories and play itself. Architecture becomes an expressive element of ‘mise en scène’ and part of a ‘wholeness’ of the theatre creation. Even natural phenomena, like those of the sky, setting of the sun, moon, wind and rain become ‘theatrical.’ The paper focuses on this very essential quality in Ovanessian’s theatrical creation: merging of the architectural surroundings with the narrative and performance; developing an inseparable relationship between theatre – as a place of public/individual involvement and emblematical revelation – and architecture.
