Saed News: The presence of bloggers, or more commonly known as Instagram influencers, in the theater scene—this time in the form of a script reading of “Cannibals”—has sparked widespread anger and reaction from serious theater audiences as well as well-known actors.
According to SAEDNEWS, The presence of bloggers and Instagram “stars” in theater, particularly through the script reading of “Cannibals,” has caused significant backlash from both serious theater audiences and famous actors. The influence of social media influencers on performing arts has grown more intense in recent years. Previously, works like “Gol Mano Aziyat Nakonid” (Don’t Bother My Flower) had already pushed the stage toward postmodern triviality. Therefore, we should approach this phenomenon without surprise and analyze it step by step.
In recent years, the government decided to significantly reduce its direct control over culture and open the field to private investment. Once money entered the scene, everything gradually fell under its dominance. Theater groups, in order to avoid interruptions in their performances, began to detach themselves from traditional methods and tied their survival to investors. In reality, government decisions led to the hollowing out of culture, where all goals were reduced to profit-making.
The market imposed its rules on art. For a short time, the migration of well-known cinema actors into theater created a temporary boom, but once this attraction faded, theater groups were left without options to fill their halls. The only solution they found was to use influencers and Instagram celebrities—who had just gained visibility—to survive financially.
It can be understood that theater practitioners have no choice but to follow current realities and sometimes sacrifice quality in order to preserve quantity. Economic instability and poor living conditions have also reduced people’s cultural spending. As a result, audiences prefer lighter entertainment that temporarily distracts them from hardship.
Since public intellectual authority has shifted toward bloggers and influencers, it was predictable that they would eventually expand into other fields of society. In fact, this is not unique to Iran; similar trends exist worldwide where non-specialists enter professional fields.
When attracting investment becomes the top priority in theater, regulatory supervision weakens. When production tools are no longer under state control, creators feel less obliged to follow regulations. Although authorities issue permits based on scripts and compliance with rules, private theaters often bypass regulations through manipulation and agreements with performers.
As a result, regulatory bodies lose effectiveness, and when permits are denied, they face backlash from online communities, forcing them to retreat and allow performances with minimal oversight.
However, inconsistency in cultural supervision also exists. Some plays are banned, while low-quality commercial performances are allowed without objection. This reflects imbalance and selective enforcement in cultural policy.
In the current unstable situation, only temporary fixes are possible. One proposed solution is government subsidies for theater to help restore stability. According to officials, improving funding and renovating theater halls is part of the ministry’s plan.
Ideally, the government should also build more theater venues to support continuous artistic activity. Currently, funding for theater is not sufficient. For example, in 2022, the budget for performing arts support was only 40 billion tomans—equal to the cost of a single film.
Theater, as an art form, requires state support in most countries to survive; otherwise, it becomes dominated by investors and real artists are sidelined. If proper support is provided, we will see fewer “cannibals” on stage.
