The Homa Theatre in Tehran is staging the play 'Suicide Shop,' based on the eponymous novel by French novelist Jean Télé. Hossein Nasiri directed this free adaptation. The cast includes Davoud Geravand, Areza Saraf Rezaei, Yeganeh Vakefi, Elnaz Shakeri, Sharzad Alimohammadi, Ali Khatibi, Arshia Hosseini, Asal Zendegani, and Mojdeh Mohtari, among other actors.
The novel 'Suicide Shop,' which is a black comedy, was published in 2006. The action unfolds in an almost apocalyptic city struggling with the serious consequences of climate change. A pervasive sadness reigns in this world, reflecting the grim atmosphere surrounding the characters.
The central figure of the novel is the Tuvache family. Their name is inspired by three famous suicide cases: the father, nicknamed Mishima, pays tribute to the Japanese author Yukio Mishima; the eldest son, Vincent, takes his name from the troubled artist Vincent van Gogh; and their daughter, Marilyn, resembles the iconic actress Marilyn Monroe. The youngest son, Allen, named after the brilliant mathematician Alan Turing, serves as the only ray of hope in the despairing family.
The Tuvache family runs a shop specializing in suicide paraphernalia, offering clients dark goods and instructions for ending life in an atmosphere of hopelessness.
However, Allen is born with an unwelcome spark of optimism that disrupts the family's acceptance of melancholy. His siblings, Vincent and Marilyn, who each struggle with their own existential issues, try to prevent Allen's positivity. Vincent is portrayed as an exhausted figure consumed by creativity in creating the shop's dark inventory, while Marilyn battles obesity and aversion to her existence.
As the plot develops, Allen's inner joy gradually changes the family dynamic, challenging the all-consuming gloom. The family's attempts to pull Allen back into their cynical view of the world ultimately prove unsuccessful.
In an unexpected twist, the Suicide Shop eventually transforms into a souvenir shop, abandoning its dark foundation and gaining an unexpected vitality. Paradoxically, despite its inspiring influence on the family, Allen's journey ends in tragedy: he decides to take his own life, realizing that by giving others purpose, he rejected despair and embraced life.
The novel's unique concept also served as inspiration for an animated adaptation directed by Patrice Leconte. Critics highly praised Télé's work, noting the delicate balance between humor and serious themes.
Jean Télé (1953–2022) was an illustrator, film director, and television host. He is also a recipient of awards for over 20 books.
The play 'Suicide Shop' will run at the Homa Theatre at Ziba Dead End, Nofel Loshato St., Hafez St. until September 4th.