TEHRAN -- The Iranian troupe Neqab plans to perform “Turup Tarab”, a musical based on a story from the royal court of the Qajar king, Nasser ad-Din Shah, at the Third Shaki International Theater Festival in Azerbaijan.

The troupe in collaboration with some thespians from Azebaijan performed Bahram Beizai’s play “The King Snake” in the country last year, director/writer Kheirollah Taqiani told the Persian service of Honaronline on Saturday.

“The director of the [Shaki] festival invited us to stage a play at the event after watching the play,” he added.

He said that his troupe will use various forms of Iranian traditional dramatic art, such as naqqali, and siah-bazi, to stage the play at the festival, which will be held in the Azerbaijani city from September 15 to 23.

“Turup Tarab” tells the story of a woman of Nasser ad-Din Shah’s harem who invites a group of musicians to perform during a national celebration, during which a favorite of the king dies. 

“This play has been selected for the festival because it is familiar among the Azerbaijani-speaking people,” Taqiani stated.

Earlier in May 2014, the troupe co-directed by Taqiani and Javad Nuri performed the musical at Tehran’s Charsu Hall.

Puneh Abdolkarimzadeh, Ali Soleimani, Javad Purzand, Vahid Nafar, Mostafa Sasani, Alireza Nasehi, Alireza Mehran, Mohammad-Hadi Atai and Hossein Shafiei are members of the troupe.

Photo: A poster for “Turup Tarab”

MMS/YAW