Mamnoun is a theater author, director and actor who has trained numerous students. In recent decades, the artist has staged ancient Persian tales such as Nezami's 'Haft Paykar' in the form of Naqqali or traditional story telling. Many of his translations of dramas from German to Persian have been printed by Tehran University Publications.
Mamnoun is the first graduate of theater in Iran and a former scholar of the Vienna University. He teaches the art of traditional storytelling and minstrelsy in Switzerland and Austria. This is the time that he is holding a storytelling workshop in Iran.
On the importance of traditional storytelling he says: Together with India, Iran has the richest collection of tales in the world. The number is so plenty that as the Germans say: ‘can’t see the forest for the trees.’
He added: Men have always been behind the traditional art of minstrelsy. However, we should never overlook the fact that mothers and grand-mothers played a significant role in oral storytelling as well - the ancient and intimate tradition between the storyteller and their audience. That says why the most famous oral storyteller in Iran is a woman. I mean Shahrzad. Therefore, it’s time for women to be at the helm of this ancient and intimate tradition as well.
In conclusion, Mamnoun said: I respect the ancient and intimate tradition of oral storytelling. My workshop is all about some proposals that could help the students to better narrate their stories. This way, they can get their listeners closer. This is particularly important when it comes to visualizing what they have to say as oral storytellers.
The Institute for Development of Contemporary Art is playing host to four-day storytelling workshop with Mamnoun. Deputy Culture Minister Seyyed Mohammad Mojtaba Hosseini, Mahdi Afzali and Morteza Kazemi attended the opening ceremony.