Tehran – The play “Advertising” by Italian writer Natalia Ginzburg is set in Tehran’s City Theater.
Mehdi Arjmand oversaw an hour of play with Elham Rezaei, Farhad Etemadi and Mehrnaz Alinejad on the cast.
It was first performed in England at the National Theatre in 1968, and is a three-act play that investigates the relationship between Teresa, Elena and Teresa’s ex-lovers, Lorenzo.
“Advertising” centers around Teresa, a lonely woman separated from her husband, and rents her spare room to Elena, a young woman attending a Roman university.
From the moment Elena walks the door, Teresa talks almost constantly about her horrifying childhood and her turbulent marriage to her estranged husband, Lorenzo. After five years of marriage, Lorenzo leaves Theresa and discovers a relationship with his best friend. However, Teresa is still obsessed with their relationship and resents her treatment, but still falls in love with Lorenzo.
Elena moves to Teresa’s spare room and the two become friends. Elena enjoys Teresa’s company and listens sympathetically to her long, sad monologues, but Teresa’s demands for her attention are hindering her studies.
However, when Lorenzo appears at the house and then begins a relationship with Elena, their relationship becomes a turn.
Like many of her plays, Ginzburg is interested in the experiences of women in modern marriages and modern relationships. In Teresa’s personality, she also explores the theme of obsession.
Natalia Ginzburg (1916-1991) was an Italian author, whose work explored the fascist year and politics and philosophy during World War II.
She wrote novels, short stories and essays and won the Strega and Bagutta Awards. Most of her works have also been translated into English and have been published in the UK and the US.
“Advertisement” will remain on stage at City Theatre at the Junction of Engelab and Varias Streets until February 21st.
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