Iran stops Hedda Gabler in her tracks

Iranian authorities have suspended a Tehran theatre’s production of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and set up a body to police cultural affairs.

Some months back Ibsen’s John Gabriel Borkman was at the Abbey in Dublin with Fiona Shaw in a lead role.

A spokesperson for the Iranian government said the play had some problems both conceptually and in the way it was performed.

“Hedda Gabler, which is adapted from a western play and is based on nihilistic and hedonistic ideas and was performed in a very vulgar and inappropriate way for the public, was stopped,” Fars news agency said.

With the tiniest of tweaking that comment is similar to something that a Vatican spokesman might say about a play, film or book.

The Vatican does not say that sort of thing as much today but that probable is because it will not be heeded.

The language, tone and style of the Iran comment is similar in so many details to Vatican speak that it must cause profound worry to people who are genuinely in search of truth and God’s Word.

“Setting up a body to police cultural affairs .” Really!