Latest Play Translation | "The Shadows" by Afsaneh Mahian - The Shieveh Theater Company

I am beyond honoured and thrilled to be commissioned by the Athens Epidaurus Festival 2026 to translate this exquisitely written play by Afsaneh Mahian and so powerfully performed by The Shieveh Theater Company. Working on this piece has been an artistic revelation — a rare alignment of language, emotion and cultural insight that demanded and rewarded every ounce of care.

From the first read, I was captivated by the play’s precision: its lyricism, its moral urgency, and the way the characters’ inner lives unfold with both subtlety and force. Translating it meant more than finding the right words; it meant seeking the pulse of the original, honoring the playwright’s voice, and recreating that pulse in English so audiences in Athens and beyond can feel the same electric charge.

This commission is more than a professional milestone; it’s a personal joy. Translating this play has reminded me why theatre matters: it breaks down distance, sparks empathy, and leaves you changed.

This was an experience I will remember forever — a wildly inspiring journey. I can’t wait for audiences to encounter the play and to share in the emotional truth that Afsaneh and The Shieveh Theater Company have so bravely brought to life.

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Text – Direction Afsaneh Mahian

Director's consultant – Set, costume and lighting design Manouchehr Shoja

Assistant to the director – Translation – International programmes manager Gilnaz Yousefian

Cast Nastaran Davari, Shakiba Hosseini, Shaghayegh Mohajer

Thank you for your unforgettable work!!!

Thank you Athens Epidaurus Festival 2026!!!

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