The journalist Cecilia Sala will be the protagonist at LAC of Lugano Sunday 18th January at 20pm with A night in Tehran, a project that blends theatrical language and narrative journalism to bring audiences closer to the reality of a country living between oppression and the desire for freedom. The show, written and performed by Sala herself, offers a vivid portrait of contemporary Iran, through the voices of those who daily challenge the regime with small and large acts of rebellion.
The work, ideally taken from his podcast “Stories”, born from years of investigations and reports that the journalist has conducted in crisis areas, and which here find a new form of expression: that of theater, where the journalistic word becomes an immersive experience. On the LAC stage, Sala weaves together testimonies, sounds and personal reflections in a story that starts from the clandestine parties in the houses of Tehran, crosses the protest squares, until reaching the cells of Evin prison, symbol of Iranian political repression.
Among the most poignant passages are the words of the young protagonists of the civil resistance, who define themselves as "a subculture struggling to exist," comparing themselves to the underground movements of 1950s America: a parallel world of secret languages, hidden spaces, music, and courage. In Iran, however, every gesture of freedom can cost prison or worse. "But it's worth it," they say, "because life is already too painful to give up even hope."
Sala leads the audience into this reality with a dry, direct, yet deeply empathetic style. His words alternate with soundtracks and evocative images, on a journey that doesn't aim to provide answers, but rather to make us feel—in the most physical sense of the word—what it means to live teetering between fear and the desire for change.
“Evin is a place I already knew, through the words of others,” Sala says in the show. “I was lucky: there were no surprises. And unlucky: the precedents I knew weren't good stories.” It's this balance between knowledge and vulnerability that gives strength to his story, making A night in Tehran not only a theatrical reportage, but also a reflection on the very practice of journalism in times of censorship and violence.
The show is produced in collaboration with the LAC of Lugano, which thus confirms its vocation to host projects in which art and current affairs meet. presales open on Saturday 25 October at 15pm, while the pre-emption for LAC+ members It will be active from 15pm on Friday 24 October for 24 hours.
Cover photo:
©Stephanie Gengotti
For information and tickets:
LAC ticket office
Piazza Bernardino Luini 6, CH–6901 Lugano
📞 +41 (0)58 866 4222
🌐 www.laclugano.ch
