Festival Will Strengthen Puppet Show

Shahram Karami, whose record in the puppet show spans years, told the news headquarters of the 16^th Tehran International Puppet Show Festival (Mobarak) that such festivals would undoubtedly help develop the quality of puppet shows.

“Puppet show is a specialized theater type whose festivals are one of the most valuable ones which can help improve theater,” Mr Karami said. “The festival (Mobarak) is the country’s most important theater event for puppet show, which can help introduce the field and establish the status of this theater genre.”

On the enthusiasm of the youth about the festival, he said that the youngsters were keen on participating this festival because it could give them an opportunity to tap their talents.

“Although all theater artists from any age brackets take part in the event, the youth typically regards this as an opportunity to display their talents,” he explained.

Referring that Mobarak festival was not competitive, the theater director said that many leading festivals in the world had no competition. “This is a characteristic of international festivals, which hold no competition. They have turned into a venue for participation of professional groups who did not seek any competition.”

Mr Karami said that the competition could be attractive only for the youth but the professionals were unwilling to compete. “This is why this puppet show festival is non-competitive to be updated.”

Singling out the weak and strong points of the festival, Mr Karami said that participation of foreign groups was securing a good reputation for the event.

The responsibility of Ms Boroumand as secretary of the festival had encouraged the groups to participate in the festival over the past two editions, he said but pointed that it was a weakness that the puppet show festival was held biennially.

“Having the festival every two years would disrupt the performance and production of puppet shows,” Mr Karami explained.

Mr Karami, who had never taken part in the Mobarak festival as director, said that he had written many plays, which were performed in the event but “taking part in the event as director of the puppet show needs lots of expertise and knowledge which I had never dare to claim.”

 Mr Karami’s latest play opened in Samandarian Hall of Iranshahr Theater yesterday. “The Rooster Is Singing” has adapted three plays by the country’s renowned playwrights Mohammad Charmshir, Hamid-Reza Naimi and Mohammad Amir Yaar Ahmadi. Roya Afshar, Yaghoub Sabahi, Sirous Hemmati, Mah-Lagha Bagheri, Soroush Taheri, Behnam Sharafi and Faramarz Ghelichkhani will play in the drama.