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Blog of Naghmeh Samini, Resident Writer at Modern Languages in February 2019

Day 1

Airplane. The Voice of the Flight attendant is heard. We will shortly be landing in Edinburgh. Please keep your seat belts on during the landing until the seat belt light is off. A 35 years old Iranian woman is sitting…

Day 2

Bathroom. The woman is in the bathtub behind the shower curtain. Her shadow can be seen. The Woman: Ms Carmona, can you hear me? I can’t use the shower…I don’t mean I can’t use it, I mean it doesn’t work. There is a…

Day 3

The Father is sitting in a rocking chair. He is 75 years old. No emotion in his face. The woman is sitting in front of him. She looks uncomfortable and restless. The Woman: How did you find me? The Father: How did you…

Day 4

The woman is sitting  on a bench. It is a cold night. She is writing a letter using her laptop. Her writing is projected on the wall behind her. She does not read the letter, but we can read it. The sound of seagulls…

Day 5

Singing an Iranian folk song, the woman– in a green coat– is sitting on a bench near the West Sands facing the sea. She has her coffee and cake. There are many seagulls, either flying or siting on the rocks. She is…

Day 6

  Cemetery. A Stone cross in the middle of the stage.  The woman stands in front of the audience, looking at them for a few seconds in silence. Then, she goes toward the Cross and kneels down. The Woman: Akh Baba!…

Day 7

Darkness. the voice of the Writer can be heard. Voice of the Writer: This is the 7th Day I am here in St. Andrews as a writer in residence. I have written 6 very short plays for each day. So each play –consciously or…

Day 8

The office of Dr. Aflah. The Woman with a violet scarf wrapped around her shoulders and Dr. Aflah are sitting on office chairs, facing each other. Dr Aflah: Can you, please, say your name again? The Woman: I just said…

Day 9

In front of the entrance of the flat. Somebody is knocking on the door. Carmona, the writer in residence–a 65-year-old Mexican lady– goes towards the door to open it. The woman rushes after her to stop her.  Carmona:…

Day 10

The Woman is sitting on a bench  with her suitcase. Her eyes are red as if she has been crying. She is speaking with Hamish McHamish. The Woman: Hamish! How many rats did you catch in your life? 100? 1000? 3000? More?…

Day 11

  A 35-year-old man is standing in the bus station of St Andrews with a backpack on his right shoulder. He is from Iraq, with black eyes and black hair. 35 Messages are projected on different places: on his body, on…

Day 12

The map of St Andrews on the floor. The man is walking on the map, as if he is walking through the town. He is somewhere on South street. The Man: (to himself) I know this is South Street, one of the three main streets…

Day 13

The Man and Aflah are sitting on the balcony of a small cafe in Crail, facing the sea. Aflah does not speak. He is listening to the Man who is speaking impatiently. The Man: I wish I could… I mean I could wash away all…

Day 14

Videos of Iran-Iraq war are projected on the walls, floor and the ceiling. The Man, and his father are sitting centre stage, surrounded by these disturbing pictures, as if they are overwhelmed by them. The Man: Would…

Day 15

The man is sitting on the same bench that the woman was sitting on earlier in the play. She is facing the north sea with a view of the West Coast. He is murmuring the melody of the same Iranian folk song that the woman…

Day 16

The Woman is alone in a room with no windows, a small bed, a toilet in the corner and a small fridge next to the bed. She is wearing the same clothes she was wearing the last time we saw her in St Andrews. It seems she…

Day 17

The Woman is still in the same basement. Another day has passed, and she is even more distressed. She sits in a corner and holds her head in her hands. The sound of steps. She stands up, runs to the door and shouts for…

Day 18

The Woman and the Man are both in the basement. They are sitting on a mat facing each other. There is a candle in the middle. They look exhausted. The Man: When I saw you for the first time in that small bookshop,…

Day 19

The Man and the Woman are in the platform of Lancaster station in London. They are both stressed and nervous. The Man is looking at the station clock, and the Woman is looking at him. It is late at night and the…

Day 20

 The woman is at the airport. She is sitting in an armchair, recording her voice. She is calm and relaxed. Behind her, an airplane can be seen through a large window. The woman: You know what?! When there is no writer…