THE RED PASHA

THE RED PASHA (Kyzyl Pasha), a drama. Written in 1982 by N.Asanbayev. The play consists of two acts. The prototype of the main character is diplomat K.А.Khakimov, a State official (1890–1938), who worked in the 1920s—1930s as Consul Plenipotentiary of the USSR in a number of Arab countries. In order to establish mutually beneficial trade and business relations and sign cooperation agreements, Khakimov has to overcome the distrust of the high‑ranking representatives of these countries who are steeped in religious fanaticism and patriarchal traditions. The talented diplomat, thanks to his excellent command of the Arabic language, as well as his knowledge of the culture and customs of the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula, was able to establish trustful relations with the leaders of the host countries. This allowed him to effectively defend the interests of his State.

The premiere of the play took place in 1982 at the Bashkir Drama Theatre. The television version was released in 1984 (directed by L.Valeev and A.V.Pokrovsky). The performance was awarded the Salavat Yulayev State Prize of the RB and other prizes by the Ministry of Culture of the USSR. It was presented at the International Festival of Arab Theatre in Damascus in 1986. Literary translation into Russian was done by O.T.Perekalin.