Whose Life is it Anyway?

Director: Ashkan Kheilnejad

Playwright: Brian Robert Clark

Translator: Ahmad Kasaeipour

Overview

‘Whose Life Is It Anyway?’ was revived by Peter Hall in 2005, after originally winning the Society of West End Theatre Award in 1978 and earning a Tony Award nomination following its Broadway debut in 1997. The play tells the story of Ken Harrison, a paralyzed sculptor who is fighting for his right to die with dignity. His battle for euthanasia raises deep questions about free will, human dignity, and who really has control over life and death. Ken’s sharp wit stands in stark contrast to the ethical dilemmas faced by Dr. Emerson and his medical team.

Director’s Note

How can theatre's aesthetic form challenge ethical issues?
This question became our roadmap for the performance at Molavi Theatre. We created a theatrical experience with a panoramic, simultaneous stage design that allowed the audience to frame the performance from multiple angles, prompting them to examine the ethical questions from different perspectives. As the performance transitioned to the auditorium, we explored new possibilities, asking: “How do the performers' bodies shape the dynamics of a space? How can movement challenge the power structures within it?”
Rooted in movement design, this performance shifted from a panoramic to a panoptic space. The hospital set, stripped of doors and walls, allowed characters to move freely into the patient’s room, underscoring the tension between freedom and control. The design enhanced this sense of omnipresent surveillance, creating a constant sense of observation. The patient’s stillness contrasted sharply with the surrounding movement, raising the question, “How does stillness, under constant observation, become an act of resistance?” Ken Harrison’s immobility asserted his bodily autonomy, while the active characters, paradoxically, appeared constrained by their own actions. Through this progression, we hoped to bring the audience to reflect not just on the aesthetic, but also on the deeper ethical implications of control, power, and resistance.

Awards

Venues & Dates

Cast

Impact

Production