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	Photography: Pooyan Tabatabaei


	Producer’s Note: I am proud to present our 7^th production and the third participation in SummerWorks Theare Festival since 2003. Lemaz Productions is dedicated to create radical art, collaborating immigrant and Canadian theatre artists. It was a great pleasure working with all the talents involved in this production of Ashes to Ashes, specially with V.Rahbani who joined us for a fruitful artistic journey since two years ago and will continue his way studying in National Theatre School of Canada! Bon Voyage! And last but not least; I would like to thank my dear friend Brenda Bazinet for letting us harvest and use her undeniable talent and for her kind smile which maded all easier. “Thank You!” We will be happy to read your notes/comments about our work. Levon Haftvan Artistic Director Lemaz Productions info@lemaz.org Our adaptaion of Pinter’s Ashes to Ashes is dedicated to the memory of Zahra (Ziba) Kazemi.*

Director’s Note

I have worked as a director for almost nine years with the Naqshineh Theatre Group, a young theatre collective founded in Iran. During this time, our group of actors has grown together, like a family. We learned, experienced and taught each other many things.

Staging “Ashes to Ashes” in Toronto has now become my greatest challenge in theatre. This is my first experience in staging a play in English – which is not my first language. For this production I have been fortunate to work with seasoned, talented actors. Their approach to theatre was different from what I have learned and experienced.

I feel no need to provide you with a background of the play. We leave the interpretation to you, the audience.

“Ashes to Ashes” is the “baby” that Pinter delivered and we present to you tonight. From this point forward, you are responsible to take care of it. The choice is yours to become involved with it or remain just as an observer.

We wish to challenge you, the audience, to see, listen and feel. Is this play a dream or a nightmare? Horrible events have taken and continue to take place in our time. How one can decide to be just a passive observer? We are involved and accused. So please take this “baby” home and remember:

We are all responsible!

V. Rahbani

v@vrahbani.com


	Harold Pinter Born 10 October 1930 in East London. In 2005, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Where was the dead body found? Who found the dead body? Was the dead body dead when found? How was the dead body found? Who was the dead body? Who was the father or daughter or brother Or uncle or sister or mother or son Of the dead and abandoned body? Was the body dead when abandoned? Was the body abandoned? By whom had it been abandoned? Was the dead body naked or dressed for a journey? What made you declare the dead body dead? Did you declare the dead body dead? How well did you know the dead body? How did you know the dead body was dead? Did you wash the dead body Did you close both its eyes Did you bury the body Did you leave it abandoned Did you kiss the dead body *Harold Pinter*

Zahra (Ziba) Kazemi

(September 1948 – July 11, 2003)

Kazemi was an Iranian-Canadian freelance photographer, residing in Montreal, Canada, who died in the custody of Iranian officials following her arrest.

Although Iran's regime insists that her death was an accidental, a former military staff physician has stated that he examined Kazemi's body and observed evidence of rape and torture, including a skull fracture, broken nose, crushed toe, broken fingers, and severe abdominal bruising. The Canadian government, as well as Kazemi’s supporters, considers her death to be a murder.

In 1969-72, Ziba studied film directing at the Superior School of Television and Cinema in Tehran. She received her doctorate in Arts and Literature (Diplôme d'études approfondies des Arts et Lettres mention Sociology, D.E.A.) from University of Paris VIII in 1985.

In 1993, Kazemi immigrated to Canada and specialized in photography, a passion to which she devoted herself entirely.

Since 1995, she traveled around the world as a photojournalist and had been in many countries included Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.

In May-June 2003, Ziba returned to Iraq for the second time. In order to wait for her visa for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, she crossed the border to Iran. In waiting for these visas, she carried out her very last photo reportages.

Her very last one was in front of the Evin prison; we most certainly will not be able to see these images of Ziba’s last photo reportages.


	An interview with V.Rahbani Radio Zamaneh (Farsi)