The Iran Conference

The action of “The Iran Conference” unfolds at an academic conference at the University of Copenhagen. The conference speakers are influential scholars, public figures and representatives of the clergy. At first glance, Iwan Wyrypajew’s play seems to be a social, or even political, debate among its characters about democracy, liberal and conservative views, human rights and freedoms, and the geopolitical situation in today’s global world. But as the action gathers pace, it becomes clear that this story is not about politics at all, but about the characters’ personal experiences, their wounds and desires.

The playwright, Iwan Wyrypajew, says of his play: “I see that today many progressive people on the planet, on whom important changes in society depend, are increasingly asking themselves: Is there a way out of this critical global situation that would work for everyone? And what is this critical situation? What is the problem? The problem is that we, human beings, have not learned to live together with one another on this planet. The 21st century is outside the window, and we are still dividing up territories, sorting one another by blood, nationality and race, and believing that the spiritual path we recognise is the only right one. How can we live in such a world? The global world has become small. We are all like residents of one communal apartment. We wage wars and suffer because of them. At last, today, the question of the meaning of life is being raised in so-called progressive circles—among scholars, politicians, businesspeople and artists. We are all gradually coming to the conclusion that, to change anything in our world, we must understand the meaning of our lives and the meaning of life in general. Whereas these questions once seemed to belong to esotericism, religion and philosophy, today they are increasingly raised at major business forums, political debates and academic conferences. What is the meaning of life? And is there any meaning to life beyond the question itself? One thing is becoming clear: even if the meaning of life remains a mystery to many, this question is becoming ever more urgent and important for a growing number of the inhabitants of our planet. There is no point in running a business, carrying out political reforms or making art if we do not firmly understand why we are doing it and where we are going. So, for me personally, this play is about Knowledge. But I would like everyone to discover something of their own.”

At the 11th Dalia Tamulevičiūtė Professional Theatre Festival in Varėna in 2020, the production received the following awards:
• Aleksandr Špilevoj was named “Best Director” for directing “The Iran Conference” at Juozo Miltinio Drama Theatre.
• Barbora Šulniūtė received the “Best Set Design” nomination for the set design of Juozo Miltinio Drama Theatre’s production of “The Iran Conference”, based on Iwan Wyrypajew’s play (directed by Aleksandr Špilevoj).
• To the actors of Juozo Miltinio Drama Theatre: Laimutis Sėdžius, Vytautas Kupšys, Ieva Brikė, Toma Razmislavičiūtė-Juodė, Jolita Skukauskaitė and Balys Ivanauskas,