Dramatic Elements in The Storytelling with Picture (Pardeh-khani) as a Multimedia Art

The storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani), as one of the traditional forms of theatre in Iran has many capabilities in artistic and dramatic expression. Yet, about this kind of traditional theatre, many researches has been accomplished about its structure and performing methods. The main question of this article is that, is it possible to use this theatrical form in one of the most important artistic forms of today, multimedia art, by changing and modernizing theatrical elements of the storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani) to attract wider range of audience? The main hypothesis is that recognition of theatric elements of this traditional theatre and comparison that with multimedia art can be increase it’s capabilities in modern artistic expression. This article tries to propose some of the elements of this traditional theatre by comparison between western examples of multimedia art and eastern theatric elements of the storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani), to recognize its capabilities and potentialities. Investigation of these elements such as performing methods, using picture (illustration), application of melody and music (both in song or in accompaniment), as well as the way of having influence on audiences, demonstrate that the storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani) can have exclusive capabilities among today’s art world. Storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani) is one of the oldest monodrama in Iran and it is one of the oldest dramatic forms in the world. Storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani) can be classified in the traditional theatres and it consists of different forms of art such as performing (in storytelling), singing (as a part of storytelling), poetry, music (in songs), literature (story sources), and painting (used on screen for telling the story). Hence, because of using various expression methods which emanate from various artistic mediums, we can propound this hypothesis that this art form has many capabilities for entering to modern art contexts. In these screens have been paid attentions to the religious subjects, and sometimes heroic, epic or legendary stories. Multimedia art as a branch of new and postmodern art in west and with the main character of combining various media in a work of art is close to storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani). Artist, In both of these two art forms, for having multiple and deeper contact with the audience, has gone beyond the use of one medium and art form. Freedom of the artist in choosing any art form makes this capability in storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani) to use many performing methods and multimedia tips. This article tries to answer this question scientifically, that can we use this Iranian traditional theatre, storytelling with picture (Pardeh-khani), in new performance methods and in multimedia art? Contemporary art attends to change subjectivity to objectivity, and Iranian traditional arts want to do so, therefore, these traditional forms are very close to those ones. So, we can create a new form of performance in multimedia art by adding the elements of installation art, performance art, environmental art, video art, and event art into storytelling (Pardeh-khani) to provide a new arena opened to new range of audiences.