Shokoufehnow Cabaret: A Vibrant Saga of Iconic Artists and the Evolution of Entertainment in 1970s Tehran

Shadmani Companies and the Early Days

During the Qajar era, entertainment took the form of Shadmani companies, which were responsible for animating wedding parties and other social gatherings. These companies orchestrated programs that typically included the Black Game, a popular show of that time. In these gatherings, national and folkloric dances from various cultures, including Arabic and Turkish, were performed. These programs, however, were limited to private events and lacked public exposure. Notably, Shokoufehnow Cabaret emerged as one of the first public performance spaces, where the transition to modern entertainment began.

The introduction of modern entertainment elements can be attributed to the advent of technology. During a trip to England, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar received a gramophone as a gift from a British phone company, which marked a turning point in the access to music and performance arts in Iran.

August 18, 2023 | 9:43 pm