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The critical inquiry and examination aimed at the underestanding and critical interpretation of Iranian theatre
activities, developments and phenomenaon have provided resources to expose and promote the formulation
of nine forms(categories) of Iranian theatre by the author. The proposed Iranian theatre forms art given below:
1) THE RITUALISTIC PERFORMANCES (EXAMPLE: THE SHAMANISTIC RITUALS OF ZAR STILL PERFORMED IN SOME SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF IRAN)
2) THE PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES (EXAMPLE: MUHARRAM MOURNING PROCESSIONS).
3) STREET AND OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES (EXAMPLE: MA’REKE GIRL SHOWS OF MOUNTEBANK).
4) DRAMATIC STORYTELLING (EXAMPLE: SHAMAYEL GARDANI: EXHIBITION OF HOLY ICONS AND PICTURES).
5) THE PUPPET THEATRE (EXAMPLE: KHEYMEH SHABBAZI: TRADITIONAL IRANIAN MARRIONETTE THRATRE).
6) THE TRADITIONAL FARCICAL PLAY-TAQLID OR RUHOZI (EXAMPLE: SIYAH BAZI: THE PLAY OF THE BLACK-MAN).
7) THE PASSION PLAY-TH’ZIYELI (EXAMPLE: THE COMMUNAL DRAMA OF TA’ZIYEH; COMMEMORATING THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM HUSSEIN).
8) WESTERN INFLUENCED THEATRE (EXAMPLE: PLAYS TRANSLATED FROM EUROPEAN LANGUUAGS INTO FARSI AND PERFOMED BASED ON WESTERN THEATRE AESTHTICS AND STAGING DEVICES AND TECHNICUES).
9) THE ECLECTIC THEATRE (EXAMPLE: PLAYS OR PERFORMANCES MADE FROM THE ELEMENTS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED FORMS, SPECIALLY COMBINIG THE ELEMENTS OF IRANIAN TRADITIONAL FORMS WITH THOSE OF THE WESTERN THEATRE FORMS, THEREBY CREATING AN ECLECTIC THEATRE FORM).
The present research has probed into and shed light on the third category, or form of Iranian theatre, coined “THE
PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES”.
This theoretical quest has proponded that the Iranian processional performances can further be devided into three
discreet subdivisions:
(1) FESTIVE/MERRYING/PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES EXEMPLIFIED IN GROTESQUE DRAMATIC PROCESSION OF BARNESHASTAN-E KUSEH (THE RIDE OF BEARDLESS MAN).
(2) MOURNING/LAMENTING/PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES ILLUSTRATED IN COMMUNAL MOURNING PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES OF MUHARRAM FOR THE MARTYRDOM OF IMAM HUSSEIN.
(3) SUPPLICATORY PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES SYMBOLIZED IN IRAN INVOCATIONAL STYLISTIC MOVEMENTS.
In order to gain a broader prespective and insight into ISranian processional performances most notably Iranian merrying processional performances, MICHAIL BAKHTIN’S (1895-1975) workes have been founed as a valuable supplementary resource.
The current findings have pointed out that much of THE MERRYING OR FESTIVE IRANIAN PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES has faded a way with time; but, THE IRANIAN LAMENTING OR MOURNING PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES have flourished and are annually celebrated with vigor. IRANIAN SUPPLICATORY PROCESSIONAL PERFORMANCES have lost its considerable theatrical aspects in recent times, given way to a different form of praying for divine sympathetic appeal.