She is lonely. She is beginning to lose her sanity. Her husband has left her for another woman yet she is still in love with him.
The play With Eyes that Are Yours, staged by the Dubai-based Documentary Voices, opens at Ductac tonight. It was written by and stars the renowned Iranian actress Bahareh Rahnama, who is known for her versatility and is one of the few Iranian actresses who takes on comedic roles.
Mahshid Zamani, the managing director of Documentary Voices, says the story is inspired by a song about each day of the week.
"There is only one character in the play and we learn about her life through dialogue she has with her ex-husband who is in Paris. Each day, she mentions what day of the week it is and her schedule," says Zamani. "The main reason we took on this production is because it deals with women's issues in a very deep way, not just touching them on the surface."
Through the story, the audience explores how vulnerable women can be in societies where they have few rights.
It will be the first time the play is staged in Dubai and it is then scheduled to play in Canada and Los Angeles. Zamani says it is unfortunate such an important production was unable to attract sponsors in the UAE.
"In addition to the musicals and concerts, this type of play purifies the soul. Our main message would be to appeal for support for these types of artistic art forms because they are beneficial and educational," she says. "When investments are made in arts and culture, life in any society would be far better.
"The audience will walk away considering the character, how tough life can be for a single mother and how easily some can walk away from their commitments," Zamani adds. "It's fantastic how this wife can joke about her physical appearance, showing us the husband was a superficial man."
With Eyes that Are Yours will be performed in Farsi from tonight until Sunday at Ductac, Mall of the Emirates. Doors open at 6.30pm. Tickets are Dh150 at the Ductac box office. Visit www.ductac.org or www.documentaryvoices.com
