The critical session on Soheila Najm's recently released book "Naqqali Art in Iran" was held on Wednesday evening (2nd November) at the House of Literati.

IBNA: The session was held with the presence of Ezzatolah Entezami, actor, Mohammadreza Khaki, theater director and university professor, and Soheila Najm author of 'Naqqali Art in Iran'. 

At the outset of the session, Najm began her speech stating that compilation of the book took more than 30 years.
"Naqqali is a fundamental art and origin of all narrative plays in Iran that has not lost its spontaneity through the passage of time and social transformations," she said. 

Najm continued: "An important bulk of the book is given to the study of oral and physical techniques of the Naqqal that have never been subject to research studies." 

Referring to the Safavid Era as the pinnacle of Naqqali art, she said: "For many reasons including religion, Naqqali was deployed in the Safavid era and a book like 'Taraz Alakhbar' that is the poetics of drama in Iranwas penned by scholars. However, the text has remained totally unknown and I found it by chance in Majlis Library. It deals with the physics, movement and language of Naqqali, offering a comprehensive poetics of the subject. 'Fotovatnameh Sultani' is another significant book written on this subject." 

Najm stressed that cultural and financial support for the preservation of old or current forms of Naqqali would be beneficial; however, the key to survival lies in adapting them with time. True aand genuine form of Naqqali will never die but is changed to new forms. 

Ezzatollah Entezami was the next speaker who highlighted the minute and astute approach taken to the introduction of Naqqali as Iranian storytelling tradition. 

"The author of the book describes a form of art that has become obsolescent with the emergence of new technologies. It offers a research in the past history of this form of art that can be well cited by later researchers." 

Entezami asserted that "Naqqali Art in Iran" will belong to the dramatic heritage of Iran for ever and the posterity can create outstanding works by means of this book. 

Then Mohammadreza Khaki had words on the shortage of researches made on Naqqali and emphasized on the detailed history of the evolution of Naqqali in this volume. 

"Naqqali techniques, space, location and stage are discussed in details through different chapters," he added. "Naql is the basis of theatrical forms in Iran and what is known as 'Eastern Play'. However, we do not belong to the eastern theater, and as a Middle Eastern nation there are also main differences in our theatrical forms with eastern ones." 

He continued: "Social transformations caused negligence and then loss of the roots of Iranian Play. With the emergence of new urban spaces the traditional setting was lost and Naqqal had nowhere for presentation of his art." 

"Naqqali Art in Iran" is published by MATN, publishing house of Iran Academy of Arts. It was praiseworthy winner of the 17th Book of the Season Award.

Id : 121142