Meet Mahtab
I am Mahtab. This is my story
My journey with puppetry: finding my voice
I always dreamt of performing, of telling stories, of being seen. Yet, anxiety often held me back. As a shy young artist at Tehran University, my professor suggested puppetry. He saw it not as a compromise, but as a unique gift.
He was right. Behind a puppet, I found a freedom I’d never experienced. It became an extension of myself, a powerful tool to confront fears, share stories, and truly be seen without the usual terror. Life led me on various detours—media, corporate London, live shows, sculpture, animation, lyrical essays—but puppetry patiently waited.
Five years ago, I returned to it, discovering a Diploma in Puppet Therapy and the world of applied puppetry. Instantly, I knew this was what I had searched for my entire life. It was more than a craft, more than performance; it was a profound way to connect and express.
Giving a voice to what’s unspoken
My drive is simple yet profound: to give people a voice. I don't tell them what to say, but I offer a tool that makes saying it feel possible. Puppetry, one of humanity’s oldest storytelling forms, has always helped us process the difficult, the unspeakable, and the complex.
When I hand someone a puppet and watch them discover words they never knew they had, that moment is everything. It never gets old. This joy isn't about me; it's about them uncovering something within themselves that was always there, just waiting for the right tool to bring it out.
My unique approach: truly seeing you
What truly sets my approach apart is that I see people—not just groups, participants, or clients. Every single person who enters my workshop, whether a PhD student, a child, someone living with dementia, or a newcomer to puppetry, receives my complete attention. I notice them, I hear them, and I adapt to their needs in that very moment.
There is no one-size-fits-all in my practice; I never cut the same pattern twice. My diverse background, spanning puppetry, therapy, storytelling, animation, sculpture, and media, enriches every session. I bring all of that into the room, but I leave my ego outside. This work is never about me.
I am deeply collaborative, endlessly adaptable, and fiercely committed to my values. But above all, I genuinely care for every single person in the room. That, I believe, makes all the difference.
"The puppets helped make the workshop playful, human, and engaging. They encouraged people to think differently about challenges and created a space for listening across different perspectives. Themes such as hierarchy, pace of work, and bias naturally emerged, and the process supported open reflection on these issues."
Participant Feedback – Workplace Reflection & Systems Dialogue Workshop