Sahand Sahebdivani from Iran and Raphael Rodan from Israel are both storytellers. They have a deep, decades-long friendship and have been telling their personal stories together for just as long, telling of conflicts, solidarity and love. Together with the audience, they visit "the houses where their mothers grew up" - an imaginary home under the mulberry tree, where memories, myths and their own biographies merge.
With humour, heart and a touch of rebellion, they offer a rare insight into what happens when two unlikely friends prefer storytelling to silence. This evening is an invitation into the shade of the mulberry tree to see what grows there.
Rafael Rodan is an actor and storyteller. Born in Israel, he lives in the Netherlands. He is an award-winning theatre maker and storyteller. in 2004, he founded the Mezrab Storytelling School together with Sahand Sahebdiviani. in 2017, together with Sahand Sahebdiviani, he won the Amsterdam Fringe Gold Award with "My Father Held a Gun, about the nature of war". Since 2018, he has been artistic director of the Amsterdam Storytelling Festival alongside Sahand Sahebdivani. He travels internationally with his storytelling programmes.
Sahand Sahebdiviani, born in Tehran, Iran, came to the Netherlands with his family at the age of 3 as a refugee from the Iran-Iraq war. He is now one of the best-known storytellers in the Netherlands and his experiences and those of his family form the basis for the majority of his work. in 2004, he co-founded the Mezrab Storytelling School. Since 2018, he has been co-artistic director of the Amsterdam Storytelling Festival alongside Raphael Rodan. He performs internationally as asoloist or in tandem as a storyteller, musician and actor.
Mary Aygetsy grew up in Armenia. As the daughter of a family of musicians, she was surrounded by the rich musical heritage of her homeland even as a child. She actively immersed herself in the world of music from a young age, singing Armenian folk songs and regularly supporting the local church choir as a singer. Her passion for traditional music led her to co-found the "Shushiki Band", a trio that has been travelling internationally for some time now, singing about their roots and their love for the culture of Ararat. When Mary Aygetsy is not singing in the trio, she leads choirs or sings alongside her husband Raphael Rodan on stage.
Performers: Raphael Rodan (ISR), Sahand Sahebdiviani (IRN) | Music: Mary Aygetsy (ARM)
