Photo: Karl Giesriegl
Rostam and Me
Sunday, May 7, 2023 7:30PM ET | Sahand Sahebdivani with Rostam and Me (Blackbox Studio, Arts Court and On Demand)
For some, the ancient Iranian book of Ferdowsi is a dusty tome on the top shelf of the library. For others, the stories are alive today, told by relatives on cold nights, like Sahand Sahebdivani’s great-grandmother did. Ancient heroes and demonic kings were brought to life, as outside a cold wind blew. In between the stories she would tell of her own life, marrying a man she didn't know at the age of 16, losing her husband to one of Iran's wars...
Rostam and Me weaves the personal stories of Sahand's family with the ancient tales brought to life in a complex tapestry. It tells the stories of powerful women and rebellious men, and it speaks of them trying to keep a culture alive while moving continents.
Sahand Sahebdivani is an Iranian-born and Netherlands-raised storyteller. He's one of the founders of the contemporary Dutch storytelling scene. He mixes personal stories of war, refuge, and being a first-generation immigrant with ancient myths and legends to create shows that have toured all over Europe and beyond. He started storytelling in the Anthropological museum (Tropenmuseum) in Amsterdam. In 2004 he opened the Mezrab, a stage for storytelling, poetry, and music, which has since grown to become Europe's most active storytelling stage. Sahand currently teaches storytelling at the Mezrab Storytelling School and as a guest teacher in theater schools. In 2014, he was awarded the Dutch title storyteller of the year. In 2017, his show My Father held a Gun won the Fringe Gold Award at the Amsterdam Fringe. In 2020 the Mezrab received the Amsterdam prize for its contribution to the city.