Echoes of My Silence
Written, Directed & Performed by Azadeh Kangarani
Presented by the New York City Fringe Festival
April 5,2026 – April 14, 2026
What happens when we question our silence?
Echoes of My Silence is an intimate solo performance reckoning with sexism, memory, and the weight of internalized suppression.
Framed by recurring mirrors, Azadeh Kangarani unravels a nonlinear journey through her past. What emerges is not merely autobiography, but an excavation of identity and trauma, tracing how patriarchal forces become inscribed within the body, voice, and psyche.
Kangarani’s strength lies in her candor. In her beautiful accent, she poses difficult, revealing inquiries, presenting herself as a vulnerable and compelling performer—one the audience cannot help but root for. She returns to the central questions: “What happens to a voice when it is suppressed? Where does it go? Does silence comfort me?” Through confessional exchanges—staged for the audience—she exposes the internalized sexism she has carried against her own gender.
The piece does not shy away from sharing accounts of harassment and assault from her experiences internationally, particularly in Iran where she was raised, underscoring how the female experience reverberates across cultures. She reflects on moments where she did not speak up—out of fear, conditioning, or the desire to avoid bringing shame to her family—prompting a central consideration: Why do we remain silent?
Structurally, the piece moves through phases of her life using mirrors, markers, and letters to trace the presence of men and the varied ways harm manifests—not as isolated incidents, but as a pattern. The mirrors feel distinctly Fringe—an inventive use of space—and Kangarani holds one up to the audience at both the beginning and end, inviting us into the same act of reflection. She begins by asking when we last truly looked at ourselves and ends with a simple truth: she is human.
Ultimately, Echoes of My Silence is a courageous work. Kangarani’s pursuit of human truth becomes a call to action—challenging us not just to reflect, but to shift perspective. In a city where commercial theatre often dictates what is seen, the Fringe creates space for work like this—urgent, unvarnished, and deeply authentic. You have one final opportunity to catch it in NYC on Tuesday, April 14 at 9:20 PM at the Chain Theatre.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Penelope Deen.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 13, 2026. All rights reserved.
