The ninth edition of the Tehran- Arbaeen Pilgrimage International Theater Festival, scheduled to open Tuesday, features a diverse range of theatrical and cultural performances in honor of the sacred pilgrimage.
The talented practitioners of the religious theatre have been mobilized for this important event, and after the opening ceremony in Tehran, they will march towards Crosh Zaray of Crosh Zaray in southern Iran, director of the Art Bureau’s dramatic arts centre, which was announced at a press conference held in Tehran on Sunday.
The theatre group departs from the Sharanche border on Tuesday and heads for Iraq, with performances scheduled to begin this Thursday.
The event will take place on the Aaaain pilgrimage route, similar to the city of Samara.
“This year we will be holding performances at several campsites belonging to Samara’s donations and charities,” he added.
The international festival is held annually in the form of payment and compensation as a cultural pledge by ceremonial theatre artists. Over eight days, we will showcase performance art in a variety of genres and forms along the Albainian pilgrimage route that leads to Kalbala, welcoming Iranian audiences and pilgrims as well as pilgrims from Arab countries.
Performances include Persian and Arabic, Street Theatre, Tajie (Iranian dramatic storytelling) (Iranian passion play), and anthems and poetry readings.
Festival secretary Seyed Mostafa Motorchi noted that all activities are dedicated and voluntary products with zero costs.
This year’s programme will include 10 Tajie performances in Persian and Arabic, three street plays in both languages depicting the 12-day war between Irana and Israel, as well as stories celebrating Iranian heroes and martialism, he explained.
A notable addition this year is a puppet show designed specifically for children and teenagers, which reflects the event’s inclusive spirit, he added.
Performers need to speak Arabic fluently. Most of them are from Kuzestan, known for their street theatre expertise, he said.
The Iraqi group has expressed enthusiasm and is expected to participate in future years and expand the scope of the event. In addition to Persian and Arabic, there are plans to incorporate Urdu performances into future editions.
The purpose of the event is to set cultural trends, and Iraqi groups have adopted a similar approach, making the initiative more widespread across the region.
Performances will be held at nine locations, with each group performing close to each other near their residence or at designated sites. To avoid the heat, performances are scheduled near sunset.
The local network will create dedicated programming tailored to participating groups to ensure widespread visibility and engagement, Motorchi concluded.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians head out on a journey to the Iraqi city of Karbala to observe the sacred day of Albain at the sacred shrine of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shiite Imam, and his brother, Hazrat Abbas (AS).
Observed on August 14th this year, Albain marks the end of a 40-day mourning period that continued the martial teaching of Asura’s Imam and his loyal companions.
sab/