TEHRAN- The radio play “The Pelican Brief,” directed by the late prominent artist Sadreddin Shajareh, has recently been aired in seven episodes on Namayesh Radio, an Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)’s radio station dedicated to audio plays and performances. 

The arrangement for this radio adaptation was done by Ayyub Aqakhani, a renowned theater and television actor and director. This radio drama is produced and broadcast based on John Grisham's acclaimed novel as part of the "From Novel to Performance" project. 

One notable feature of "The Pelican Brief" is the collaboration of three generations of well-known and professional artists in the fields of acting and radio.

The cast of the radio play includes Ali Milani, Bahram Ebrahimi, Payam Dehkordi, Reza Mokhtari, Nazanin Mohaimani and Mandana Aslani. 

Veteran Iranian storyteller Maryam Nashiba also contributed to the play as the narrator.

Published in 1992, "The Pelican Brief" is a legal-suspense thriller penned by acclaimed author John Grisham. This novel, which marks Grisham's third foray into the world of legal fiction following "A Time to Kill" and "The Firm," quickly became a bestseller and was adapted into a film in 1993, featuring star performances from Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. The story intricately weaves themes of political intrigue, environmentalism, and the quest for justice, all set against the backdrop of a divided nation.

The narrative kicks off with the shocking assassinations of two Supreme Court justices who represent starkly different ideological perspectives. Justice Rosenberg, a liberal advocate for progressive change, is brutally murdered in his home, while Justice Jensen, a Republican-appointed swing vote, meets his end in a movie theater in Washington, D.C. These high-profile killings send shockwaves throughout the country, leaving citizens bewildered and fearful about the implications for their judicial system.

At the heart of the story is Darby Shaw, a brilliant law student at Tulane University. Driven by her curiosity and intellect, Darby conducts an in-depth analysis of the justices' backgrounds and motivations, ultimately crafting a legal brief that proposes an alternative theory regarding their murders—one that suggests they were not politically motivated. She shares her findings with Thomas Callahan, her law professor and romantic partner. This seemingly innocuous act sets off a chain reaction of violence when Callahan is killed by a car bomb shortly after revealing the brief to his FBI lawyer friend, Gavin Verheek. Witnessing this tragedy sends Darby into a state of panic as she realizes she may be the next target.

In her desperate bid for survival, Darby goes on the run, seeking refuge and assistance from Verheek. However, Khamel, the elusive hitman behind the assassinations, impersonates Verheek during their meeting, leading to another near-fatal encounter for Darby. Just as Khamel attempts to finish the job, he is shot by an unidentified assailant, allowing Darby to escape once more.

Meanwhile, Gray Grantham, an investigative reporter for The Washington Post, becomes embroiled in the unfolding drama when he is contacted by an informant known as "Garcia." This informant claims to possess critical information linking the assassinations to Victor Mattiece, a powerful oil tycoon with plans to drill in Louisiana marshlands that are home to an endangered species of pelican. As Darby connects the dots between the justices’ environmental leanings and Mattiece's motives, she enlists Grantham's help to expose the conspiracy that threatens both their lives and the integrity of the judicial system.

As Darby and Grantham dig deeper into their investigation, they find themselves pitted against formidable forces. The president and his Chief of Staff, Fletcher Coal, scramble to suppress any evidence linking them to Mattiece's nefarious activities, fearing it could jeopardize the president's re-election campaign. They attempt to redirect the FBI’s focus away from the brief and enlist the CIA to investigate instead. In a twist of fate, an agent sent to gather information from Mattiece ends up being murdered due to Mattiece’s increasingly unstable mental state.

The duo’s pursuit of truth leads them to Curtis Morgan, also known as "Garcia," who worked for the law firm representing Mattiece. Tragically, they discover that Morgan has already been killed under suspicious circumstances. However, they manage to contact his widow and uncover recorded evidence of Morgan’s testimony detailing his knowledge of the conspiracy. Armed with this explosive information, Darby and Grantham approach their editor at The Washington Post.

As they prepare to publish their findings, FBI Director F. Denton Voyles intervenes with his own bombshell: he possesses a recording of the president instructing him to halt investigations into the brief. With this evidence in hand and a plan for Darby’s protection in motion, they launch their story into the public domain.

SAB/