White Rabbit Red Rabbit

The realities of living in modern Iran are presented in a new and completely original way in Nassim Soleimanpour’s White Rabbit Red Rabbit. Produced by Volcano and told using audience participation, story and cold reading, this stand out new play reveals issues of censorship, identity and control in a new and ingenious way.

Performed by a different actor every day, White Rabbit Red Rabbit tells the story of Soleimanpour’s life, his family, and the realities of living in a world where free speech isn’t encouraged and being different to others brings punishment.

Comprising of a nearly empty stage, White Rabbit Red Rabbit has no director,  has no playwright, although a chair in the auditorium bears the sign: Reserved for the Playwright. However, Soleimanpour’s words, although spoken by the actor on stage, ensure that his words are heard clearly and in a safe environment in his absence.

Although this is probably one of the most unusual pieces being debuted at the Fringe, it is certainly one of the most thought-provoking and daring shows on the programme this year. Through the playwright’s words and anecdotes about the white rabbits, the red rabbit, and the rabbit who wanted to join the circus, his message remains pure and unadulterated: his situation, and the situation in Iran is critical, as he has been effectively silenced, it is up to the audience to spread his words, as only through what he can tell is, can we truly understand exactly what is happening in Iran at present.

Through audience participation in the play, the message of repetition, of making the same mistakes over and over again and trying to learn from them is paramount to the play, and makes it all the more awe-inspiring.