A Glance at the History of Sangelaj*

  
Sangelaj Theater Hall was built in 1963 in an area of 1034 square meters. Located in an old neighborhood, the hall was constructed near a garden bearing the same name. The park is currently named Park-e Shahr (The Park of the City). Babaeian was the engineer constructed the hall in the land dedicated by a benevolent lady to the municipality. Babaeian was also built the famous Vahdat Hall as well. Sangelaj Hall was ceded to the then Ministry of Culture and Art (current Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance). The hall was officially inaugurated under the name of 25^th Shahrivar in September 1965 concurrent with the First Festival of Iranian Plays.

The hall was unique in technical and lightening, audio and acoustic equipments at that time. It has scene facilities such as manual rotation of the scene, elevation of screen and decoration with special tools and etc.

A troupe headed by Abbas Javanmard was stationed in the Sangelaj. Five other groups namely; ‘Emrooz (Today)’, ‘Mitra’, ‘Shahr (City)’, ‘Javan (Youth)’ and Mardom (People)’ also performed in the Sangelaj. The groups were financially supported by the then Culture Ministry. It was the first time in the history of the theater in the country that this art was sponsored by the government. A host of artists including actors, directors and constructors of decorations and … were employed by the government to serve at the hall.

Directors included Abbas Javanmard, Ali Nasirian, Davood Rashidi, Ezatollah Entezami, Bahram Beizaei, Roknoddin Khosrawi, Mahmoud Ostadmohammad and … The plays were usually written by the directors or by playwrights such as Akbar Radi, Gholamhossein Saedi, Khalil Movahhed Deilamaghani and …

Iranian plays performed particularly by the National Art Group helped the Sangelaj to turn into the origin of the national theater.  

Head of the Dramatic Art Office was manager of the he hall initially. An art council titled Theater Council was in charge of overseeing the productions and groups. The council was comprised of Azemat Janeti, Jalal Sattari, Ali Nasirian, Davoud Rashidi, Abbas Javanmard and Ezatollah Entezami.

The hall was unable to remain productive as before after the victory of the Islamic Revolution (1979) due to retirement of a great number of Dramatic Art Office’s artists as well as certain social and cultural problems. The hall lost its brilliant reputation in the course of time because of its old premise as well as staging folkloric Iranian plays such as Rohozi and Siahbazi.

However, the hall got a facelift in 2007, helping it to retain its past fame. Noted directors and artists performed plays there helped the hall to return to its heyday. Given its brilliant history, the hall is able to turn into a hub of the national plays again. 

A number of works performed in the hall since 1965 are;

“Renowned Amir Arsalan (1965)’, ‘Choub Be Dasthaye Varzil (Varzil’s Bullies 1965)’, ‘Kaleske (Carriage 1965)’, ‘Majmoueh Irani (An Iranian Collection)’, ‘Behtarin Babaye Donya (The World’s Best Dad (1965)’, ‘Pahlevan Akbar Mimirad (Hero Akbar to Die 1965)’, ‘Bolbole Sargazshte (Wandering Bulbul 1965)’ –directed by Ali Nasirian, ‘Koroush Pesrae Mandanad (Cyrus the Son of Mandana 1965)’, ‘Goroub da Diari Gharib (Sunset in a Unknown Land)’, ‘Ghasseh Mahe Benhan (The Story of a Hidden Moon 1966)’ –directed by Abbas Javanmard, ‘Rozene Abi (Blue Opening 1966) –directed by Shahin Sarkisian and Arbi Avanesian, ‘Miras and Ziafat (Heritage and Party 1967)’, ‘Aye ba Kolla, Aye bi Kollah (1968)’ –written by Saedi and directed by Jafar Vali, ‘Shahre Ghesse (The City of Story 1968)’, ‘Dicte va Zavieh (Dictation and Angle 1969) –directed by Davood Rashidi, ‘Soltan Mar (The King Snake 1969) –directed by Bahram Beizaei, ‘Sargozashte Marde Khasis (The Story of the Stingy Man 1970) –directed by Khalil Movahhed Deilamaghani, ‘Marg bar America (Death to the USA 1980)’ –written by Nosratollah Noh and directed by Roknoddin Khosrawi, ‘Potka (Sledgehammer 1980)’ –directed by Behzad Farahani,  ‘The Condemned of Altona’ -directed by Roknoddin Khosrawi, ‘Kalleh Gerdha va Kalleh Tizha (1980)’ –directed by Naser Rahmaninejad, ‘Veda (Farewell 1982)) by a group from Tabriz Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, ‘Bazi Name Ghanoun (Law’s Game 1985) -written by Mohammad-Reza Khojasteh and directed by Khosro Shakibaei, ‘Cheshm Tang (1990) –directed by Davood Fathalibeigi, ‘Falgoush (2002) –directed by Manijeh Mohamedi, ‘Khaterate Honarpishe Naghshe Dovvom (The Memoirs of A Supporting Actor 2003)’ –directed by Hadi Marzban, ‘Akbar Agha Aktore Theater (Mr Akbar the Theater Actor 2006) –directed by Akbar Abdi, ‘Royahaye Ramnashode (Untamed Dreams 2007)’ –directed by Siavash Tahmores, ‘Khastegari (Proposal 2008)’ –directed by Seyyed Azim Mousavi, ‘Kouchehaye Asheghegi (The Alleys of Falling in Love 2009) –directed by Nasrollah Ghaderi, ‘Tou Charsou Khabari Nist (No News in Charsou 2009) –directed by Hassan Bastani and …

The ancient and valuable Sangelaj Hall has experienced many social, cultural and political experiences. Although due attention was not paid to it, the hall is still part of Iran’s theater family as a kind father.

The hall is currently under supervision of the Dramatic Art Center affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

The managers of the hall include Dr Tabatabaei, Farrokh Sajedi, Saeed Basirian, Ali Heidari, Seddighinejad, Afshinnejad, Mohsen Akbarian, Keivan Nakhaei, Mahmoud Farhang and Atabak Naderi

 *A Research Paper ‘From 25^th Shahrivar Theater through Sangelaj Hall’ by Kamand Amirsoleimani