simurgh /si:ˈmu̇(ə)rg/ [According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, “simurgh a huge ancient bird of Persian legend credited with possessing great wisdom”].
[silence]
The sun was not yet naked over Mount Qaf.
It was twilight.
The fire broke out.
[pause]
The waters vanished into thin air.
The earth rushed to welcome the wind.
The fire flared up.
[pause]
The all-knowing hoopoe said:
“Don’t panic!”
“Something will rise from the fire.”
[Take a long pause; then improvise with a stammer.]
I panicked! I panicked!
I went into the cave.
I’m terrified!
I panicked!
PART 4
The fire swept through Mount Qaf. There was no trace of the wind, the earth, and the water.
The fire burned them all!
[Read out the verse pretending that there is a lump in your throat.]
The days went by.
There came a month.
The months went by.
There came a year.
The years went by.
There came a century.
[Improvise, murmuring in a whispery and trembling (as if frightened) tone of voice.]
The fire went out.
The fire died to ashes.
The fire was tamed.
The fire died to ashes.
PART 5
[Read the birds’ names in a grieving tone; only once.]
PART 6
The son of Fire was Ash.
The son of Fire turned to ashes.
The son of Fire was Ash.
No bird rose up from the ashes.
Nothing, on the burnt mountain peak, rose from the fire.
Nothing rose from the fire.
On the burnt mountain peak, it did not rise from the fire.
Nothing rose …!
Nothing, on the burnt mountain peak, rose
from the fire.
The son of Fire was Ash.
The son of Fire turned to ashes.
The son of Fire was Ash.
[Improvise in a cold, emotionless, soulless manner.]
The son of Fire was Ash.
The son of Fire turned to ashes.
Ash he was,
the son of Fire!
It turned to ashes!
Fire! Ash!
Nothing rose!
Nothing!
PART 7
[In the lower register of your voice, improvise in a melancholy tone (in a melancholic and rather insane tone).]
Something is latent.
Something quests.
But something latent within a latency quests for something that the latency quests for …
[It] quests for something!
PART 8
Hey! You hear me?
I’m thirsty!
[in a whispery tone]
There’s no sound approaching us to be heard!
[in a natural tone]
Hoopoe, the knower of all, knew where the water was. But he’s dead!
Do you hear me? Did you listen!
I’m starving!
[in a whispery tone]
There’s no sound to be heard!
[in a natural tone]
The all-knowing hoopoe knew where the food was. But he’s dead.
Playing!
[pause]
The peacock knew; but she’s dead.
Reciting poems!
[pause]
Simurgh was the Poet of Poets on Mount Qaf. But she’s dead.
[First read out all the words below. Then present brief improvisations on the words—very quickly, in an agitated voice).]
Love making!
Dancing!
Stomp dancing!
Waiting!
War!
Peace!
Judging!
Waiting!
[nervously and aggressively/furiously]
All the words are dead. Nothing is alive here!
[in a quick and whispery tone]
There’s no sound to hear!
There’s no sound left to hear!
There’s no sound approaching us to be heard!
Hushsh!
Hush!
You hear?
[in a natural tone]
But one thing is latent!
At the edge of the giant peak.
Beneath the ashes!
On the right side?
The left side?
Up or down?
Something somewhere quests …
In the latency of the hiding of the latent.
[Improvise loudly!]
The event is definitive!
The event is inevitable!
Everything’s broken down.
Nothing is in its right place.
The event is inevitable!
Where, on Mount Qaf’s peak, the event quests?
PART 9
[Recite the verses swiftly, in an aroused, raspy, and scratchy voice as if before intercourse!]
The all-knowing hoopoe once said, “the event unfolds in a place where no one expects!”
[pause; then a loud laughter]
Even he himself did not know …
The event is always in quest of something.
The event is latent.
Something quests somewhere.
In the latency of the hiding of the latent!
[short pause; then in a loud voice]
The all-knowing hoopoe is dead!
And I know that I don’t know where the event quests for something that is hidden in the latency of something latent.
I know one thing, though!
The event is in quest!
In quest is the event!
The event is happening!
[Whispery and confused improvising!]
Up!
Down!
Left!
Right!
Upper!
Down to the left!
PART 10
[Recite the text feeling a post-jouissance sense, in a voice sounding feeble and numb!]
[Find jouissance in femininity!]
The event is in quest!
In quest is the event!
The event is happening!
The all-knowing hoopoe is dead; he can’t prophesize.
I am the last survivor from Mount Qaf, on a pile of ashes!
Without a guide! Without a messenger!
The event is in quest!
The event is happening!
Up!
Down!
Left!
Right!
Right upwards!
Left downwards!
[pause]
[In a hesitant voice, recite in a doubtful and vague manner!]
I should choose!
The all-knowing hoopoe cannot prophesize anymore; he’s dead.
[pause]
Something in an unknown place is in quest within the hiding of a latency!
The event is definitive!
The all-knowing hoopoe is dead; he can’t prophesize.
[pause]
Up? How high?
Is there another mountain peak to the left of Mount Qaf’s peak expecting the expectant?
[Pause; then recite aggressively!]
Maybe to the right?
The event is definitive!
Something latent in the latency of a place I don’t know is in quest!
[Improvise in a happy and whispery tone.]
The event is definitive!
Something latent in the latency of a place I don’t know is in quest!
The event is definitive!
Something latent in the latency of a place I don’t know is in quest!
PART 11
[In a quivering but confident voice!]
The all-knowing hoopoe is dead; he can’t prophesize.
The hoopoe is dead.
Dead is the hoopoe!
He’s dead!
[In a loud voice]
I’ll leave the ash-capped peak of Mount Quaf for good.
[Pause, recite as if you aren’t sure about what you are saying!]
I’ll leave the ash-capped peak of Mount Quaf for good.
[As if you are horrified by what you just said!]
I’ll leave the ash-capped peak of Mount Quaf for good.
[Pause and improvise in a melancholic manner!]
I’ll leave the ash-capped peak of Mount Quaf for good.
PART 12
The event is happening.
Up!
Down!
Left!
Right!
Upper!
Further down!
The event is in quest!
In quest is the event!
The event is happening!
Something quests!
Something within a latency will emerge.
Something is latent.
...
Notice:
The booklet contains the play's text in Farsi, Japanese and English versions, accompanied by a folder.
credits
released April 5, 2024
Iceface (H. Wakabayashi) - Composer, Instruments and Voice (Part 5)
Koh Shimanaka - Japanese Translation and Voice
Ehsan Saboohi - Playwright
Owrang - Mastering and Post-Production
Koh Shimanaka & Forough Yeganeh - Artwork
Post-Orientalism Community - Producer
Noise à Noise Label - Publisher
Publication - 2024, Berlin/Tehran
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