Author

Banafsheh Hassani

Banafsheh Hassani بنفشه حسنی is an Iranian feminist theatre artist based in Montreal. Their passion and belief in the value of cultural criticism and the significance of loud racialized voices led to the creation of DIS in 2026.

Articles by Banafsheh Hassani

Festival TransAmériquesTheatre

Уя: no way out

Уя, and being a witness to it, was a contemplation of what it means to live on this Earth, not pretending it is anything but exactly what it is, and to search for the space where we belong and can finally breathe.

Banafsheh Hassani29/06/2026

Diane Jorge with a fan in her hand that is blowing her hair back

Montreal Fringe FestivalImprov

Solovela: Sit Back and Relax, You Know This One!

The show, and the telenovela as a form, is in line with the true Fringe spirit: it responds to its audience’s desire for drama, romance, and comedy. It’s lighthearted and simple, chaotic and full of twists, and, in the case of Solovela, humble in its design.

Banafsheh Hassani16/06/2026

drawings of Iris Vaguada by an audience member

Montreal Fringe FestivalTheatre

Be Brave: on watching, drawing, and Drawn

The show starts with the voice of the white man, godlike, telling us and the lone performer on stage what to do. We draw her as she poses for us, in what we assume will be the most nude we will see her, holding an onion at her crotch.

Banafsheh Hassani15/06/2026