Tarabnameh

Tarabnameh tells the story of a hadji who sets out to sell his servant and buy in his place a young slave girl. On the way, they see a poet about to be beheaded; a young lover in search of a purloined beloved; and troubadours, their profession banned, desperate to bring joy and laughter to any face. In short, the world they see is all topsy-turvy.

Tarabnameh has its genealogy in the tradition of Takhte-Hozi plays—a tradition of popular plays, combing comedy and music, dance and poetry. Centuries of despotism have rendered this form bereft of content. In Tarabnameh, a play with a cast of thirty-seven actors, this ancient comic genre keeps its joyous ambiance but takes on new form and meaning, underscoring the possibilities of once forgotten traditions becoming rich, robust, and lively modern forms of theater. 

The play performed in two five-hour segments at De Anza College in 2016. The production involved more than 1,000 rehearsal hours, at least 100 handmade costumes, and brought in audience members from as far as Los Angeles and Canada.

Beyzaie Discusses Tarabnameh

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Photos by Vahid Zamani. Copyright held by Iranian Studies Program.