‘White Rabbit Red Rabbit,' with a new star every night, has its L.A. premiere at the Fountain
'White Rabbit Red Rabbit' by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour is having its L.A. premiere at the Fountain Theatre, and the less I tell you about it, the better.
Soleimanpour is known for his 'cold read plays,' which are performed by an actor immediately after receiving the script in front of an equally unprepared audience. Mystery is built into the theatrical experience.
'White Rabbit Red Rabbit,' which doesn't rely on the services of a director, can be thought of as a theatrical message in a bottle. Soleimanpour wrote the play about 15 years ago when he was without a passport for not having fulfilled his required military service. Unable to travel and fearful of what might happen to him next, he wrote the piece to communicate with an unforeseeable future.
It's less of a play than an interactive theatrical experience. Audiences are summoned to the stage at random by the unrehearsed actor. Writer and performer Sandra Tsing Loh had the honors Sunday, and she gamely followed the script's instructions as though presiding over an evening of charades that an oracle had dreamed up in advance.
Scenarios are acted out involving a rabbit who enjoys frequenting the circus and a ticket-taker bear who relishes enforcing the rules with all his brutal might. We're clearly in allegory territory here, so the silliness isn't without substance. Soleimanpour wants us to consider our own posture toward brutal authority. Do we obey in advance, or do we retain our moral common sense in the face of terror?
A vial of 'poison,' introduced at the start of 'White Rabbit Red Rabbit,' is set beside two glasses of water. Is this a theatrical ruse or a murder plot in process? Choices will have to be made by audience members, who play at least as large a role in the experience of 'White Rabbit Red Rabbit' as the evening's headliner.
In New York, the piece attracted a revolving door of big-name talent, including Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg and Cynthia Nixon. At the Fountain, the play leans heavily on leaders in the local theater community. Rogue Machine Artistic Director Guillermo Cienfuegos, Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum Artistic Director Ellen Geer and actor and former Antaeus Theatre Company Artistic Director Bill Brochtrup have all signed up for the Fountain production, which runs through June 22.
'White Rabbit Red Rabbit' doesn't need boldface names, but it does depend on the curiosity of ordinary theatergoers. Searching for comparisons, I flashed back to the theatrical work of Peter Handke, who in unclassifiable performance pieces like 'Offending the Audience' forcefully deconstructed the spectator-spectacle relationship.
Soleimanpour is less formal in his aesthetic strategy. A more genial invisible presence, he is also a good deal more gentle than the Austrian Nobel Prize winner. A little more structural force wouldn't have been amiss.
The performance is so good-natured about its unusual nature that it becomes slack at times. To make a deeper impression, it needs greater conviction and control. But perhaps these missing ingredients would be supplied by a different set of participants. I left the theater mildly beguiled, smiling as I entered my car and shrugging as soon as I hit the road.
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Iranian rapper Tataloo once supported a hard-line presidential candidate. Now he faces execution
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The tattoos covering Iranian rapper Tataloo's face stand out against the gray prison uniform the 37-year-old now wears as he awaits execution, his own rise and fall tracing the chaos of the last decade of Iranian politics. Tataloo, whose full name is Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, faces a death sentence after being convicted on charges of 'insulting Islamic sanctities.' It's a far cry from when he once supported a hard-line Iranian presidential candidate. Tataloo's music became popular among the Islamic Republic's youth, as it challenged Iran's theocracy at a time when opposition to the country's government was splintered and largely leaderless. The rapper's lyrics became increasingly political after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the subsequent wave of nationwide protests. He also appeared in music videos which criticized the authorities. 'When you show your face in a music video, you are saying, 'Hey, I'm here, and I don't care about your restrictions,'' said Ali Hamedani, a former BBC journalist who interviewed the rapper in 2005. 'That was brave.' The Iranian Supreme Court last month upheld his death sentence. 'This ruling has now been confirmed and is ready for execution,' judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters at a press conference last month. Activists have decried his looming execution and expressed concern for his safety after he reportedly tried to kill himself in prison. Tataloo began his music career in 2003 as part of an underground genre of Iranian music that combines Western styles of rap, rhythm-and-blues and rock with Farsi lyrics. His first album, released in 2011, polarized audiences, though he never played publicly in Iran, where its Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance controls all concerts. Tataloo appeared in a 2015 music video backing Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and Tehran's nuclear program, which long has been targeted by the West over fears it could allow the Islamic Republic to develop an atomic bomb. While he never discussed the motivation behind this, it appeared that the rapper had hoped to win favor with the theocracy or perhaps have a travel ban against him lifted. In the video for 'Energy Hasteei," or 'Nuclear Energy,' Tataloo sings a power ballad in front of rifle-wielding guardsmen and later aboard the Iranian frigate Damavand in the Caspian Sea. The ship later sank during a storm in 2018. 'This is our absolute right: To have an armed Persian Gulf,' Tataloo sang. Tataloo even issued an endorsement for hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi in 2017. That year, the two sat for a televised appearance as part of Raisi's failed presidential campaign against the relative moderate Hassan Rouhani. Raisi later won the presidency in 2021, but was killed in a helicopter crash in 2024. In 2018, Tataloo — who faced legal problems in Iran — was allowed to leave the country for Turkey, where many Persian singers and performers stage lucrative concerts. Tataloo hosted live video sessions as he rose to fame on social media, where he became well-known for his tattoos covering his face and body. Among them are an Iranian flag and an image of his mother next to a key and heart. Instagram deactivated his account in 2020 after he called for underage girls to join his 'team' for sex. He also acknowledged taking drugs. 'Despite being a controversial rapper, Tataloo has quite the fanbase in Iran, known as 'Tatalities,'' said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy. 'Over the years, they've flooded social media with messages of solidarity for him and even campaigned for the rapper's release in the past when he was detained on separate charges.' Tataloo's rebellious music struck a chord with disenfranchised young people in Iran as they struggled to find work, get married and start their adult lives. He also increasingly challenged Iran's theocracy in his lyrics, particularly after the death of Amini following her arrest over allegedly not wearing the hijab to the liking of authorities. His collaboration 'Enghelab Solh" — 'Peace Revolution' in Farsi — called out Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by name. 'We don't want tear gas, because there are tears in everyone's eyes,' he rapped. But the music stopped for Tataloo in late 2023. He was deported from Turkey after his passport had expired, and was immediately taken into custody upon arrival to Iran. Tehran's Criminal Court initially handed Tataloo a five-year sentence for blasphemy. Iran's Supreme Court threw out the decision and sent his case to another court, which sentenced him to death in January. The rapper already faced ten years in prison for a string of separate convictions, including promoting prostitution and moral corruption. 'Tataloo is at serious risk of execution,' Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of advocacy group Iran Human Rights, said in a statement. 'The international community, artists and the public must act to stop his execution.' Tataloo earlier expressed remorse at a trial. 'I have certainly made mistakes, and many of my actions were wrong,' he said, according to the state-owned Jam-e Jam daily newspaper. 'I apologize for the mistakes I made.' Tataloo married while on death row, his uncle said. Last month, Tataloo reportedly attempted to kill himself, but survived. His death sentence comes at a politically fraught moment for Iran as the country is at it's 'most isolated,' said Abbas Milani, an Iran expert at Stanford University. The Islamic Republic is 'desperately trying to see whether it can arrive at a deal with the U.S. on its nuclear program and have the sanctions lifted,' he said. Drawing the ire of Tataloo's fans is 'one headache they don't need,' he added. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at ___
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Iran rapper Tataloo, Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, faces death penalty
The tattoos covering Iranian rapper Tataloo's face stand out against the gray prison uniform the 37-year-old now wears as he awaits execution, his own rise and fall tracing the chaos of the last decade of Iranian politics. Tataloo, whose full name is Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, faces a death sentence after being convicted on charges of 'insulting Islamic sanctities.' It's a far cry from when he once supported a hard-line Iranian presidential candidate. Advertisement Tataloo's music became popular among the Islamic Republic's youth, as it challenged Iran's theocracy at a time when opposition to the country's government was splintered and largely leaderless. 6 Iranian rapper Tataloo appears in a courtroom at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Iran, on May 7, 2024. AP The rapper's lyrics became increasingly political after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the subsequent wave of nationwide protests. Advertisement He also appeared in music videos which criticized the authorities. 'When you show your face in a music video, you are saying, 'Hey, I'm here, and I don't care about your restrictions,'' said Ali Hamedani, a former BBC journalist who interviewed the rapper in 2005. 'That was brave.' The Iranian Supreme Court last month upheld his death sentence. 'This ruling has now been confirmed and is ready for execution,' judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters at a press conference last month. Advertisement Activists have decried his looming execution and expressed concern for his safety after he reportedly tried to kill himself in prison. 6 Tataloo speaks during his trial at the Revolutionary Court on April 23, 2024. AP From a music video on a warship to exile Tataloo began his music career in 2003 as part of an underground genre of Iranian music that combines Western styles of rap, rhythm-and-blues and rock with Farsi lyrics. His first album, released in 2011, polarized audiences, though he never played publicly in Iran, where its Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance controls all concerts. Advertisement Tataloo appeared in a 2015 music video backing Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and Tehran's nuclear program, which long has been targeted by the West over fears it could allow the Islamic Republic to develop an atomic bomb. While he never discussed the motivation behind this, it appeared that the rapper had hoped to win favor with the theocracy or perhaps have a travel ban against him lifted. In the video for 'Energy Hasteei,' or 'Nuclear Energy,' Tataloo sings a power ballad in front of rifle-wielding guardsmen and later aboard the Iranian frigate Damavand in the Caspian Sea. The ship later sank during a storm in 2018. 'This is our absolute right: To have an armed Persian Gulf,' Tataloo sang. 6 Tataloo began his music career in 2003 as part of an underground genre of Iranian music that combines Western styles of rap, rhythm-and-blues and rock with Farsi lyrics. Amir Tataloo/X Tataloo even issued an endorsement for hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi in 2017. That year, the two sat for a televised appearance as part of Raisi's failed presidential campaign against the relative moderate Hassan Rouhani. Raisi later won the presidency in 2021, but was killed in a helicopter crash in 2024. Fame in Turkey, prison back in Iran Advertisement In 2018, Tataloo — who faced legal problems in Iran — was allowed to leave the country for Turkey, where many Persian singers and performers stage lucrative concerts. Tataloo hosted live video sessions as he rose to fame on social media, where he became well-known for his tattoos covering his face and body. Among them are an Iranian flag and an image of his mother next to a key and heart. Instagram deactivated his account in 2020 after he called for underage girls to join his 'team' for sex. He also acknowledged taking drugs. Advertisement 'Despite being a controversial rapper, Tataloo has quite the fanbase in Iran, known as 'Tatalities,'' said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy. 'Over the years, they've flooded social media with messages of solidarity for him and even campaigned for the rapper's release in the past when he was detained on separate charges.' 6 Tataloo hosted live video sessions as he rose to fame on social media, where he became well-known for his tattoos covering his face and body. Amir Tataloo/X Tataloo's rebellious music struck a chord with disenfranchised young people in Iran as they struggled to find work, get married and start their adult lives. He also increasingly challenged Iran's theocracy in his lyrics, particularly after the death of Amini following her arrest over allegedly not wearing the hijab to the liking of authorities. Advertisement His collaboration 'Enghelab Solh' — 'Peace Revolution' in Farsi — called out Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by name. 'We don't want tear gas, because there are tears in everyone's eyes,' he rapped. But the music stopped for Tataloo in late 2023. He was deported from Turkey after his passport had expired, and was immediately taken into custody upon arrival to Iran. 6 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in southern Tehran, Iran, on June 4, 2025. via REUTERS Death sentence draws protests Advertisement Tehran's Criminal Court initially handed Tataloo a five-year sentence for blasphemy. Iran's Supreme Court threw out the decision and sent his case to another court, which sentenced him to death in January. The rapper already faced ten years in prison for a string of separate convictions, including promoting prostitution and moral corruption. 'Tataloo is at serious risk of execution,' Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of advocacy group Iran Human Rights, said in a statement. 'The international community, artists and the public must act to stop his execution.' 6 Tataloo's rebellious music struck a chord with disenfranchised young people in Iran as they struggled to find work, get married and start their adult lives. Amir Tataloo/X Tataloo earlier expressed remorse at a trial. 'I have certainly made mistakes, and many of my actions were wrong,' he said, according to the state-owned Jam-e Jam daily newspaper. 'I apologize for the mistakes I made.' Tataloo married while on death row, his uncle said. Last month, Tataloo reportedly attempted to kill himself, but survived. His death sentence comes at a politically fraught moment for Iran as the country is at it's 'most isolated,' said Abbas Milani, an Iran expert at Stanford University. The Islamic Republic is 'desperately trying to see whether it can arrive at a deal with the US on its nuclear program and have the sanctions lifted,' he said. Drawing the ire of Tataloo's fans is 'one headache they don't need,' he added.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Double Time
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Double Time Constructor: Joe Rodini Editor: Jared Goudsmit ETON (65A: John Gurdon's alma mater) Sir John Gurdon is a developmental biologist. In 2012, he shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Shinya Yamanaka for their (separate) research on stem-cells. John Gurdon attended ETON College before heading to Christ Church, Oxford to obtain his graduate degrees. Here's a fascinating thing I learned about John Gurdon: When he was in high school, he ranked last in science in a class of 250 boys, and one of his schoolmasters told him he had no chance of becoming a scientist. Well, I'd say he proved that schoolmaster wrong. EVAN (8A: Actress ___ Rachel Wood) EVAN Rachel Wood's acting credits include the role of Delores Abernathy in the HBO TV series Westworld (2016-2022) and Madonna in the movie Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022). HERS (13A: Belonging to that woman) and OURS (2D: Belonging to us) Nice use of parallel structure in these two clues. EST (22A: Guinness World Records suffix) Since 1955, Guinness World Records has kept track of a number of records, such as: the LargEST human mattress dominoes (2,355), the HighEST annual earnings for a musician ever (Taylor Swift), and the GreatEST distance travelled with a pool cue balanced on the chin (10,826 ft 9 in). ASPCA (48A: Pet protection org.) The abbreviation of the word organization in the clue alerts solvers that the answer will be an abbreviation – in this case, ASPCA for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. ASPCA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1866. Its mission is "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States." My cat, Willow, says this is a worthy mission indeed. ASL (56A: Language in Deaf West Theatre shows) Productions at the Deaf West Theatre in Los Angeles, California feature deaf and hearing artists, and combine ASL and spoken English. The Deaf West Theatre was founded in 1991. Their performances are "inspired by deaf culture and the expressive power of sign language." In addition to their stage productions, they have collaborated with artists to produce music videos and performances such as Kelly Clarkson's "I Dare You," and Ingrid Michaelson's "Hell No!" (If you need a bit of joy in your day – and who doesn't? – I highly recommend checking out these videos.) NAOMI (63A: "Birdman" actress Watts) Birdman is a 2014 movie about a former Hollywood actor (portrayed by Michael Keaton) who is best known for playing a superhero named Birdman. NAOMI Watts portrays Broadway newcomer Lesley. TYPO (67A: Mistake in this cclue) I will never get tired of TYPO clues; they make me smile every single time. CLERIC (4D: D&D class skilled in divine magic) In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), when players create a character they choose a class for that character. Each class gives a character certain perks and abilities. Characters in the CLERIC class can channel divine magic. CHUM (5D: The ___ Bucket ("SpongeBob" restaurant)) On the animated TV series SpongeBob Square Pants, SpongeBob works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, a fast food restaurant owned by Mr. Krabs. The CHUM Bucket is a rival restaurant, owned by a one-eyed crustacean named Plankton and his computer wife, Karen. LEGO SET (21D: The 2,022-brick Taj Mahal kit, for example) I like the inclusion of a specific example in this clue. According to the LEGO website, the 2,022-brick Taj Mahal LEGO SET is a retired product (as is a previous 5,923-brick Taj Mahal LEGO SET). Might I interest you instead in a 4,090-brick River Steamboat LEGO SET (for a mere $329.99)? SEA (28D: Poseidon's domain) In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the SEA, storms, earthquakes, and horses. In some tellings, Poseidon became the ruler of the SEA when the world was divided among the three sons of Cronus. Poseidon was given the SEA, Zeus was given the sky, and Hades was given the underworld. ARG (36D: Buenos Aires' country (Abbr.)) Buenos Aires is the capital and most-populous city of Argentina (ARG). It is located on the Río de la Plata, earning it the nickname "The Queen of El Plata." DOHA (37D: Capital of Qatar) DOHA is the capital of Qatar, and is home to over 80% of the country's population. ANI (39D: "32 Flavors" singer DiFranco) "32 Flavors" is a 1995 song by ANI DiFranco. The song's title is a play on Baskin-Robbins' "31 flavors" slogan. WYATT (44D: Labor leader Addie) Addie WYATT (1924-2012) was a civil rights activist as well as a leader in the United States Labor movement. She was one of 12 women named as Time magazine's Women of the Year in 1975, chosen for "speaking out effectively against sexual and racial discrimination in hiring, promotion and pay." AT LAST (46D: Etta James tune with the lyric "My lonely days are over / And life is like a song") "AT LAST" is the title track of Etta James's debut album, which was released in 1960. It became her signature song, and her version of it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. "AT LAST" was originally written for a 1941 musical, Sun Valley Serenade. YEOH (55D: "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Michelle) Michelle YEOH plays the role of Evelyn Quan Wang in the 2022 movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. She also portrays several alternate universe versions of the character. Michele YEOH won a Best Actress Academy Award for this role. COOP (57D: Chicken's house) and AUTO (58D: Sedan or coupe) It's a small thing, but it was fun to fill in the answer "COOP" and then in the next clue see the word "coupe." A couple of other clues I especially enjoyed: PENS (6D: Pocket protectors may hold them) TSA (31D: Org. that deals with a lot of baggage) FREE LUNCH (16A: No-cost meal in an adage) CLOSING NIGHT (26A: Last chance to catch a musical) HIGH QUALITY (45A: Well-made) ABOUT FACE (61A: Complete reversal) DOUBLE TIME: Each word of the theme answers can be paired with the word TIME to create a new phrase: FREE TIME, LUNCH TIME, CLOSING TIME, NIGHTTIME, HIGH TIME, QUALITY TIME, ABOUT TIME, and FACE TIME. It's ABOUT TIME! The theme is ABOUT TIME, that is. It's always DOUBLE the fun when both parts of the theme answers are directly involved in the theme. Thank you, Joe, for this TIMEly puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for June 8, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
