The futuristic play “A Number” written by the award winning British playwright Caryl Churchill is now available in Persian.
Translated by Ali Mojtahedzadeh and published by Parseh publication, it addresses the subject of human cloning and identity, ISNA reported on its Persian website.
Story of the play is set in the near future and structured around the conflict between a father (Salter) and his sons (Bernard 1, Bernard 2, and Michael Black) – with the last two being clones of the first one.
It was written in 2002 when public debate over the ethics of cloning was high and rising. The cloning of Dolly the sheep and the creation of human embryos at Ocata Therapeutics, formerly known as Advanced Cell Technology, an American biotechnology company that uses stem cell technology to develop novel therapies in the field of regenerative medicine, created controversy and increased concerns about possible human cloning.
The 79-year-old playwright is known for dramatizing the abuses of power by using non-naturalistic techniques and feminist themes. Her early works were inspired by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht’s theatrical techniques of Epic Theater, a theatrical movement arising in the early to mid-20th century which responded to the political climate of the time through the creation of a new political theater.
Churchill has written more than 40 theatrical and radio plays. She has won Obie Award for her plays “Cloud Nine” and “Top Girls” and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play “Serious Money”. She also is a recipient of the Richard Hillary Memorial Prize and Evening Standard Award.
