TEHRAN -- The Iranian puppet show “The Bald Hero” will go on stage at the Arrivano Dal Mare International Puppet and Figures Festival which will be held in Cervia and Torino on June 18.

“The Apple Three Group will travel Italy on June 10 to stage the puppet show and to visit Italian artists and artistic directors to expand relations with them,” the head of the troupe Majid Giahchi told the Persian service of ISNA.
The troupe, which includes four sisters Fahimeh, Sima, Saeideh, and Samaneh Mirza-Hosseini, performs the show in English so that foreign audiences can enjoy their performances.
The troupe will probably take part in the Al Sur Del Sur International Theater Festival which will be held in Bones Aires in July, he said.
“But financial support by the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization has not been finalized yet,” he lamented.
Iranian playwright and stage director Shahram Karami will accompany the troupe during their trip to Italy.
Formed four years ago, the Apple Tree Group is the only female group in Iran which performs folklore and musical shows. The troupe has participated in many international festivals in Ireland, Italy, Belarus, Poland, Serbia and Bosnia and has received several awards in international events.
The Bald Hero (Pahlavan Kachal) is a classic Iranian dramatic character who is a poor young man courting a rich businessman's daughter, who quarrels with her father. This play was meant to criticize rich and greedy businessmen.
Photo: Puppeteers of the Apple Tree Group pose at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia in March 2011.