TEHRAN- Sahne-ye Abi Theater in Tehran will be playing host to a reading performance of British playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard’s “A Separate Peace: A Play in One Act” on Tuesday.

The performance will be directed by Mahmoudreza Soleimani, based on a Persian translation by Houshang Hesami.
 
The cast will include Mahdieh Mahboubi, Maryam Sattari, Mehdi Ramezani, Mohammad Rafiei and Shiva Shakeri. 

Tom Stoppard’s “A Separate Peace: A Play in One Act” offers a subtle and gently satirical look at social expectations, identity, and the quiet comforts of institutional life. 

The play centers on John Brown, an enigmatic man who arrives unannounced at a rural nursing home carrying a suitcase full of money. Though the facility is designed for the elderly and infirm, Brown does not appear to suffer from any physical illness, nor does he display clear signs of mental instability. His presence immediately unsettles the staff, who are accustomed to treating patients with diagnosable conditions and clear medical needs.

Brown’s polite demeanor and financial means allow him to secure a place in the home, where he begins to adapt comfortably to its structured routine. He seems content to withdraw from the outside world, embracing the predictable schedule and protective atmosphere the institution provides. The nursing home becomes a kind of sanctuary for him—a place free from the pressures and ambiguities of ordinary life. His reasons for being there remain unclear, which sparks curiosity and speculation among the staff. They try to categorize him, to fit him into a familiar narrative that justifies his presence.

Among the nurses, Maggie develops a particular affection for Brown. Unlike the others, she approaches him with empathy rather than suspicion. Gradually, she learns enough about his background to identify and contact his relatives. Acting out of what she believes to be responsibility and kindness, Maggie sets in motion the process that will remove him from the home. When his family arrives to reclaim him, Brown does not resist, but the departure carries an emotional weight.

Maggie feels a deep sense of guilt, fearing that she has betrayed his trust and destroyed the fragile refuge he had found. In a quiet and poignant exchange, Brown reassures her. He tells her he does not blame her actions. However, he also reflects that her intervention would have been justified only if he had truly been ill. If he had genuinely wanted to reconnect with his family, he suggests, he could have done so himself. His words highlight the play’s central tension: the conflict between society’s need to define and “correct” individuals and an individual’s quiet desire for self-determined escape.

Through gentle irony and understated humor, Stoppard critiques social conventions and questions who has the authority to decide where someone belongs.

SAB/