Rumi's Mathnavi: A Theatre Adaptation

by Joe Martin

In conjunction with UNESCO's designation of 2007 as the "Year of Rumi," the Asylum Arts imprint of Leaping Dog Press has released Joe Martin's (Yousef Daoud's) stage adaptation of Rumi's Mathnavi. For ten years, Rumi has been the best selling poet in America. But until now, most English speakers have found it almost impossible to get a sense of the world of his greatest work, the Mathnavi. This Asylum Arts edition of Joe Martin's dramatic adaptation aims to provide that opportunity. This edition will give a wide audience an authentic taste of Rumis six-volume work, in a reader's edition, accompanied by photographs from the 2005 production of the play. The adaptation utilizes loyal renderings directly from the Persian and Reynolds Nicholson's famous six volume Persian and English version of the major work by the man often called the Shakespeare of the Middle East. Rumi's spiritual philosophy and strangely postmodern ability to shift between genres -- from parables, to commentaries, to lyric flights of poetry -- combine to make his work the most all embracing, open-hearted and powerful of texts to come out of the Islamic world. Rumi's writing is one of the single greatest antidotes to the "clash of civilizations" thinking used by ideologues on two sides to challenge the peace of the world. A dozen key parables and songs demonstrating the Sufi philosophy of the Unity of Being provide the body the text. Rumis Mathnavi was first sponsored by the Center for Global Peace and the Department of Performing Arts at American University in a reader"s theatre version in 1999 and 2000. Versions of it have been produced at the La MaMa ETC main stage in New York and elsewhere. In 2006, the piece toured the East coast cities as a theatre-for-peace project -- with discussions hosted by Quakers, conflict resolution specialists, Imams, Rabbis, a Sufi Sheikh, and well-known peace activists including Iraqi-American Andy Shallal. Performed in the traditional Sufi circle with live musicians and Persian dance, it became a ritual realization of Rumi's book. UNESCO in conjunction with the Turkish Embassy -- representing the country where the Persian poet lived most of his life -- has issued a medallion for the year of Rumi, recognizing his present importance for the world. The events scheduled for this year that also honor Rumi and his incomparable poetic work include a documentary film on current-day students of Rumi and a CD of his poetry set to music. A feature film on the life of Rumi is currently in the works.

112 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2007

Reviews

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mathnavi is an epic poem in scope. In the original a multi-volume work. the Oxford edition of Book one alone is more than two hundred pages long. So, a slight play may seem an unlikely way to approach this complex work of literature. However, more than just approaching, the theatre adaptaion of Rumi's Mathnavi by Joe Martin captures the essence of the larger poem.

The play, in two acts, manages to encompass much of the atmosphere through metaphorical images from Rumi's poetic world. Moments in the play encompass thoughts both serious and inspirational with the suggestion of more beyond this world. Yet a touch of the humor of the original is there as well. I found this work an accomplishment that works in its ability to suggest the world of the epic poem. It inspired in my imagination the even greater results that could be achieved in the staging of this impressive adaptation. The informative afterword on the staging of Rumi's Mathnavi was a helpful adjunct to the play itself.