Fanoos Theater House is to host the theatrical work “Bijan & Manijeh” June 21-29.
Directed by Mahtab Nasseri, the play presents one of the love stories in the Shahnameh (Book of Kings), the long epic poem written by renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi (940-1020), Tiwall.com reported.
Bijan was the son of Giv, a famous Iranian knight during the reign of Kai Khosrow, the king of Iran, and Banu Goshasp, the heroine daughter of Rostam, the leading hero in Shahnameh.
People from Armenia complain to Kai Khosrow that wild boars are invading their fields. Bijan is sent on a mission to fight the boars. He succeeds in forcing the wild animals back to their lairs. The day after, Gorgin, a knight who had accompanied Bijan on the quest, informs Bijan about the beautiful gardens of Afrasiab, tempting him to cross the border from Iran into the mythical land of Turan on the northern shores of the Caspian Sea.
Turan, Iran’s biggest enemy, is ruled by the arrogant King Afrasiab; in the garden. Bijan meets Manijeh, Afrasiab’s glamorous daughter and soon they fall in love. Afrasiab eventually learns about his daughter’s love affair with Bijan and captures him.
The king banishes Bijan into a deep well and covers it with a heavy stone and forces Manijeh out of the palace.
The play will be performed in the style of naqqali, traditional Iranian storytelling, by Mahour Barareh, Sara Sharbatdar, Danial Hamzeh-Louie, Vania Sotoudeh, Niki Niknia and Shayan Alipour.
The theater house is located at No. 25, Azari Alley, next to Yas Mall on Haft-e Tir Square.
