In June 2006, 100 years after Iranian women first openly engaged in Social Democratic Revolution an email was circulated depicting images from Iran of a female enforcer beating women conducting a peaceful protest while men and women attempted to stop the violence. 

Khaki, a newly devised production created by Zendeh Theatre Company takes the audience on a journey through the oppression endured by Iranian women over the last hundred years and explores the denial of equal rights for woman, the gaping injustices in family law, the effects of religious intolerance and fanaticism and the resilience of the oppressed. 

With Khaki, writer Nazli Tabatabai focuses on three eras in Iran’s history where women became the catalyst for change, 1906’s Social Democratic Revolution, 1979’s Islamic Revolution and the present fight for Freedom of Expression.  With an ensemble cast taking on the roles of dreamer, follower, leader, peacemaker and outsider, she explores the differing standpoints felt by the changing society and the lack of solidarity felt for a common cause.

Staging for the production is remarkable in its simplicity and effectiveness with a series of masks suspended from wires symbolising the disappearance of the female identity.  As they are utilised to represent both the observer and the observed the image becomes both haunting and striking as characters seamlessly step in and out of them. 

The majority of the cast are appealing in their individuality and have an innate likeability about them as they shift form era’s as the events unfold although some lack the versatility and depth of character shown by the more experienced company members and at times this hinders the high standard of the production.

In a time where Edinburgh’s streets are filled with hype and where every company claims to be the next big thing, this brand new piece of theatre delivers much more than promised. For an audience member relatively ignorant of the subject matter the text will be alarming and revealing, additionally, you can look forward to a production that is stylistically beautiful, linguistically passionate and surprisingly witty at times.

Theatre Workshop, Hamilton Place (0131) 226 5425
Aug 22-27: 14:00 (1 hr) £7.00 (£5.00)