"Theatre Is Not about Theory": An Interview with Reza Abdoh

Abstract

I first discovered Reza Abdoh's work in 1991 when he was invited to present his Hip-Hop Waltz of Eurydice at Montreal's Festival des Ameriques. Of all the plays presented that year, Abdoh's was both the most astounding and the most original. The imagery, the narrative, the acting, in fact the whole production had a strange quality to it, one that subverted the spectator's customary point of view. I was intrigued as well as fascinated by Abdoh's combination of high-tech and classical elements, modern life and mythology, violence and tenderness. It was clear from the start that his style of theatre was absolutely unique. After Hip-Hop Waltz, I saw Abdoh's Law of Remains in New York. On this occasion, I expressed my desire to interview Abdoh, but this was unfortunately impossible to arrange as he was extremely busy rehearsing Tight Right White in preparation for a European tour. A few months later, while at a conference in Brussels, I discovered that Abdoh was presenting Tight Right White at the Vlamms Theatre Festival. I repeated my request for an interview. Since Abdoh was on his way to France, I decided to make a stopover in Paris on my way back to Canada, and that's where this interview took place on 4 June 1994. We met in Abdoh's Paris apartment, and although he was quite tired, he very generously agreed to take the time to answer my questions.