JI JI Bi JI (A puppetry art)
The puppetry theater of shiraz.
Kheimeh shab bazi is the name of a very common puppet show of Iran’ theater heirs. Shiraz performs its own special form kheimeh shab bazi called JI JI BI JI. The stories and songs have become local and the characters may talk with accents. Different from the kheimeh shab bazi in which the characters are string puppets here the dolls are hand puppets. The tent in which the play is performed has its own special to be built.
Javanmardi Family Entertainers
Javanmardi family are a troupe of musicians and entertainers from Shiraz. The family has been in the field since 1950. Their performances included singing, story telling, dancing, performing interactive puppet shows as well as the playing of various musical instruments.
Reza and Asghar are the last members remaining from the Jnavanmardi family entertainers. They know the heritage which is inherited to them. They perform it and do their best to keep them safe and alive. They are so eager and attached to it, even though they believe it is a heritage but it is still functional for them. They try to be creative with it and work on the stories and the material they use.
WOMEN THEATRAL CEREMONY
In the history of Iran's drama and theater, one important category is "The Theatrical Games". Shiraz has its own special way of singing the storylines and it is called vasoonak. here you see an example of woman gathering in which two famous vasoonak is performed. Vasoonaks are well-known between the people in Shiraz and even other Iranians.
Iran's Theatrical games have three subcategories; Children's games, Men's games, and Women's games.
The stage for women's theatrical plays was the private events they used to host. The host was mostly an elder woman and the performers of the games and dramas were the young ones. Each game may have some make-up or costume and all simple ones. Women used dramatic plays in order to tell their hopes and wishes. Playing out the difficulties they interfere with the man or their in-laws. Whether it was their husband, brother, or the ones out there in the society. These gatherings and parties happened in every part of the country with women from any level of society. The dialogue is mostly in the form of the songs. The main character says the main line and there are some specific answers that everybody is familiar with and they will give the answer. Something similar to the "The Chorus" in classical Greek drama.
The stage for women's theatrical plays was the private events they used to host. The host was mostly an elder woman and the performers of the games and dramas were the young ones. Each game may have some make-up or costume and all simple ones. Women used dramatic plays in order to tell their hopes and wishes. Playing out the difficulties they interfere with the man or their in-laws. Whether it was their husband, brother, or the ones out there in the society. These gatherings and parties happened in every part of the country with women from any level of society. The dialogue is mostly in the form of the songs. The main character says the main line and there are some specific answers that everybody is familiar with and they will give the answer. Something similar to the "The Chorus" in classical Greek drama.
Marzieh Sobhani, The performer of VASOONAK.
As she says herself, since she was a young girl, if there was a wedding or a ceremony everyone asked her to be the one to sing the vasoonak.
“I was always the one who would warm up the parties and the crowd.”
Now that Marzieh is a middle-aged independent woman. she lives alone. She has a group of friends. These women go on trips together and host parties in which they all sing Vasoonak.
Berkeh Bazri: “We had to record the VASOONAK. But the proper way was to have it recorded at the real scene. It actually turned out to be an opportunity for me to hostess a woman’s traditional party. Even now, after so many days passed since that day, in my thoughts I see myself as the elder who has made all the preparations for the young ones to come, play, sing, talk, and laugh without a pause. Besides the unfortunate fact that Marzieh’s friend won’t be available to accompany her but maybe this was my only chance and that is so that this video is the only one in which I am in front of the camera. I knew she was the one, by that first talk we had over the phone. I was waiting for her call to set the day and time when she called and almost canceled. This time she knew she couldn’t have her friends there with her. She kept telling me that the presence of a group who knows all the songs and can answer her singing was so important. But even though I believed what she was saying but reading between the lines I knew it comes from someplace deeper. That healing that was happening for so many years with these plays and gatherings. The safe place for the woman who can live all their secrets and dreams in the shell is made with theater, dancing, and singing.”
