Jana and Baladoor: A Play in Shadows by Bahram Beyzaie

In a panorama as majestic as life itself, Iran's foremost playwright and director Bahram Beyzaie brings to the stage a magical combination of poetry and puppets, music and myth. In this ground-breaking performance of Jana and Baladoor, Professor 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 battles to redeem and re-enchant the world. Acclaimed Iranian artists Mojdeh Shamsaie and Mohsen Namjoo recite the story, accompanied by music; shadow figures bring the narrative to life. The play is in Persian with Persian captions and English subtitles. Sponsored by, and video copyright owned by, the Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies at Stanford University. This production is part of the Stanford Festival of Iranian Arts. https://iranian-studies.stanford.edu/... 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. Jana and Baladoor was staged at Stanford University in 2012. Farsi captions and English translation and subtitles by Alvand Daliri. All rights reserved. Watch "Jana and Baladoor: Behind the Curtains":    • Jana and Baladoor: Behind the Curtain