TEHRAN- “Passing in Esfand,” a play written and directed by Hassan Sobhani Minabi, is currently on stage at the Ebrahim Zarei Theater in Minab, Hormozgan province, portraying the stories of martyrs Makan Nasiri and Mahmoud Gholamiani, two of the victims of the Shajareh Tayyebeh School tragedy.

The first performance of the play, which was held on October 1, was attended by the head of the Minab Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the office director of the city’s representative in the parliament, a group of teachers, artists and theater enthusiasts, as well as members of the family of martyr Mahmoud Gholamian. The opening performance was dedicated to the mother of Gholamiani.

“Passing in Esfand” offers a poetic account of the lives of martyrs Makan Nasiri and Mahmoud Gholamiani, while recounting part of the story of the victims of the Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab. The production draws on local cultural elements, rituals and traditions to tell the story of the victims and their families.

The idea for the play emerged from Sobhani Minabi’s concern over the victims of the school tragedy and his sense of responsibility toward preserving their stories through theater. The production was subsequently developed as an artistic work for the people of Minab, with Gholamiani and Nasiri among its central figures.

“Passing in Esfand” has been selected for the 20th International Resistance Theater Festival and will compete in the festival’s main competition section. The production is also representing Hormozgan province at the event.

The play will remain on stage until October 10, with the venue accommodating 74 spectators each night.

The play draws particular attention to the story of Makan Nasiri, one of the students killed in the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab and Mahmoud Gholamiani, a 35-year-old Minab resident. 

The Minab school tragedy took place on February 28, when a school building in the city was hit during a US-Israeli military strike. The incident resulted in the deaths of 168 students and other civilians and caused widespread grief in the local community. The tragedy also left families facing the loss of their children and, in Nasiri’s case, continued uncertainty over the return of his remains.

On that day, Gholamiani went into the rubble of the school following the strike, searching for children and helping rescue those trapped. He managed to save one child but returned to the site to help others. He was killed in a second strike along with some other people.

Through the story of Nasiri, Gholamiani and the other victims, “Passing in Esfand” seeks to preserve the memory of those affected while placing their experiences within the cultural and social context of Minab. By incorporating local traditions and elements of the region’s cultural life, the production presents the tragedy not only as an event of loss, but also as a story remembered by the community through art and theater.

SAB/