TEHRAN- The first edition of the national kheimeh shab-bazi festival is set to take place in Tehran. 

Scheduled to run from May 16 to 21, the festival will be under the directorship of the theater artist Siavash Satari, IRNA reported on Monday. 

Organized by the Kheimeh Shab-bazi Museum in downtown Tehran, the festival aims to bring artists together and compete artistically to enhance the quality of this traditional Iranian art form.

The festival has begun its activities by inviting theater groups to participate through a call for submissions. It welcomes artists from across the country to join this event.

Interested individuals can submit their works via the festival's website, and after the initial review, selected works will be invited to compete in the festival.

Kheimeh shab-bazi is a traditional form of Iranian puppet theater. It is a popular folk-art form that combines puppetry, music, storytelling, and humor in a small chamber setting known as the kheimeh (booth). 

In a typical kheimeh shab-bazi performance, a musical performer and a morshed (mentor) engage in a dialogue with the puppets, most notably with the traditional Iranian puppet Mobarak.The puppets are usually made of wood and cloth and are manipulated by puppeteers behind a small curtain in the booth.

The performances often incorporate elements of satire, social commentary, and moral lessons, making them both entertaining and educational for the audience. The dialogues between the morshed and the puppets can be improvised, allowing for spontaneity and audience interaction.

The term ‘kheimeh shab-bazi’ can be broken down to understand its meaning: "kheimeh" refers to a castello or booth where the performances take place, "shab" signifies night - the typical time for such shows, and "bazi" translates to play. Thus, the literal translation is "evening performance in a puppet booth." 

This unique art form combines music, storytelling, and puppetry to create captivating performances that have been cherished in Iranian culture for centuries.

Kheimeh shab-bazi has been an integral part of Iranian cultural heritage, representing a unique blend of art, tradition, and entertainment. Today, efforts are being made to preserve and promote this traditional art form through festivals, workshops, and educational programs.

SAB/