Beyzaie's "Jana and Baladoor" Shadowplay Coming Soon

In 2012, Professor Bahram Beyzaie staged his shadawplay, Jana and Baladoor, at Stanford University as part of the Stanford Festival of Iranian Arts. The video recording will soon be available for viewers around the world to watch. 

Bahram Beyzaie’s Jana and Baladoor is a panorama as majestic as life itself and brings to the stage a magical combination of poetry, puppets, music, and myth. Beyzaie recounts the drama of a world dominated by dark demons and the heroic battles of four mythic siblings—representing the four elements of air, water, earth, and fire—and their battle to redeem and re-enchant the world. Two of Iran's most accomplished artists, the actress Mojdeh Shamsaie and the musician Mohsen Namjoo, recite the story accompanied by music and shadow figures that bring the narrative to life.

Since at least the 6th century (12th century AD), the growth and development of shadow plays as an art form has come to a halt with religious zeal and prejudice deeming it heretical, causing it to fade into nigh obscurity. Jana and Baladoor was a historic revival of an old tradition, staged at Stanford University in 2012.

Watch a recently released trailer for the video recording: