The Biting School’s “Zahak, The Serpent King” brings an Iranian myth to the stage

posted on November 1st, 2023 at 3:42 AM

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By Raynee Novak

Brothers Aryo Khakpour and Arash Khakpour started their vision for The Biting School modern dance and theatre company back in 2013 with a piece about the Bible story of Cain and Abel. Now, a decade later, the brothers are back with another mythological production, albeit this one from Iran.

Zahak, The Serpent King—a world premiere produced in partnership with New Works Dance—has them once again joining forces in the directing chair.

“It’s kind of a meeting point of all different kinds of art forms,” says Arash.

“The story starts almost from the beginning of the creation of human Iranian mythology,” explains Aryo. “Part of it is about the king who makes a pact with the devil. The devil kisses him on his shoulders and two snakes grow on his shoulders. He has so much pain and pressure from the snakes, and he’s told, ‘You have to feed two young brains to the snake every day so they don’t kill you.’”

Aryo and Arash, who grew up in Iran, have a good working relationship that has allowed them both to change and transform throughout their performing arts careers. When it came to sharing the director’s chair for Zahak, The Serpent King, they decided to divide and conquer.

“One section is led by Arash and one section by myself,” says Aryo. “We basically use the same group of artists and the same kind of story, of course; we’re trying to see how we can create something like two sides of a cassette tape of the ‘90s.”

Opening on November 30, the production includes performers Mia Pelayo, Andy Kalirai, and Audrey Sides; video projection design by Candelario Andrade Gutierrez; music by Alex Mah; props and set by Hamidreza Jadid; and costumes by Elika Mojtabaei.

“My favorite part is always rehearsing and being with people,” says Arash, “and then feeling the elevation in the space and energy in the theatre.”