In November, the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) awarded the 2024 Translation Prize to Bahram Beyzaie’s Naqqali Trilogy, translated into English for the first time by Nikta Sabouri and Richard Saul Chason. The ASTR Translation Prize was created to celebrate the art of translation as a vital contribution to theatre and performance studies. Recognizing the role of translators in bridging linguistic and cultural divides, the award highlights the importance of making significant works accessible to an English-speaking audience. Since its establishment in 2021, the prize has sought to encourage the exchange of ideas across borders, ensuring that influential texts—whether dramatic works or critical scholarship—reach a wider readership.
Sabouri and Chason describe Bahram Beyzaie (b. 1938) as the “Shakespeare of Persia,” highlighting his skill in weaving mythological narratives with modern dramaturgy. The Naqqali Trilogy—Azhdahak, Arash, Testament of Bondar Bidakhsh—reimagines ancient Persian tales through a contemporary lens, exploring themes of power, resistance, and the resilience of the human spirit. Rooted in the naqqali tradition, a form of Iranian epic storytelling that merges ritual and performance, the trilogy revitalizes cultural heritage while addressing urgent questions about justice and oppression. This monumental publication by Harvard University Press brings one of the most outstanding achievements of Persian drama into the English-speaking world, creating new opportunities for cross-cultural understanding and theatrical innovation.
In awarding the prize, the ASTR jury praised the volume as “an excellent example of what translation is capable of doing: bringing a completely different approach to theatrical creation into our theatrical culture.” They highlighted the detailed introduction, which situates Beyzaie’s plays within the historical and literary aesthetics of Persian theatre. According to the jurors, the translators make “a convincing case that Beyzaie and the naqqali storytelling form should be better known in English,” noting how the introduction provides crucial context for understanding the plays’ mythological roots and dramatic innovations.
The translation’s approach to language was also singled out for its creativity and rigor. By employing Renaissance-era English as an analog to Beyzaie’s use of medieval Persian registers, Sabouri and Chason have created a poetic structure that mirrors the linguistic richness of the original text. The jurors described this choice as “fascinating and productive,” preserving the layered and rhythmic quality of Beyzaie’s language while making it accessible to English readers.
In terms of the plays themselves, the jury noted the translation’s ability to retain their emotional and poetic impact. They found the poetic repetitions in Azhdahak “profoundly engaging” and the present-tense narrative sections in Arash “particularly effective.” The trilogy, they remarked, is not only rich in cultural and literary significance but also “fun to read.”
The front cover of Naqqali Trilogy, designed by Joni Godlove.
This recognition is a testament to the skill and dedication of the translators. Nikta Sabouri, a Boston-based theatre director, actor, and translator, has spent years illuminating Iranian voices on American stages. With degrees in Theatre Directing from the University of Tehran and Theatre Research and Dramaturgy from the University of Ottawa, Sabouri’s work blends deep academic training with a practical commitment to cross-cultural storytelling.
Richard Saul Chason, a Brooklyn-based actor-playwright, dramaturg, and translator, brought his own expertise to the collaboration. With a background in literary criticism and performance, Chason has ensured that the translation retains the integrity of the original text while resonating with contemporary English-speaking readers. Together, Sabouri and Chason have opened the door for Beyzaie’s work to find its rightful place in global theatre.
For over fifty years, Bahram Beyzaie has been a towering figure in Iranian theatre, cinema, and their scholarly study. Despite his unparalleled contributions—including over seventy books, plays, and screenplays—his work has remained largely inaccessible to English-speaking audiences. The publication of Naqqali Trilogy not only introduces readers to his groundbreaking artistry but also highlights the importance of preserving and sharing cultural heritage across borders.
The ASTR jury’s recognition of this translation reinforces the transformative potential of theatre and translation alike. By bringing Beyzaie’s Naqqali Trilogy to life in English, Sabouri and Chason have enriched theatrical discourse and created new possibilities for engaging with Persian culture. At its core, this translation celebrates the resilience of storytelling and how it can bridge worlds, challenge assumptions, and reimagine what’s possible on stage.
The translation of Bahram Beyzaie’s works into English has become increasingly important in recent years, opening a window into the richness of Iranian theatre. Alongside the Naqqali Trilogy, two plays by Beyzaie, Aurash and The Death of the King, translated by Soheil Parsa, Brian Quirt, and Peter Farbridge, have been published in a short anthology entitled Stories from the Rains of Love and Death (2009). Beyzaie’s The One Thousand and First Night (2023) and Afra, or The Day Passes (2023), both translated by Saeed Talajooy, contribute to a broader understanding of Iranian dramaturgy. The growing body of translated works not only enriches the field of world theatre but also creates an opportunity for scholars, students, and theatre practitioners to engage deeply with Iranian cultural narratives, exploring themes of resistance, power, and the human experience through a new lens.
This post was written by the author in their personal capacity.The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of The Theatre Times, their staff or collaborators.
