Istanbul City Theatres presents play on 1924 population exchange

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Theatres is presenting ‘Hayalî’nin Hayali’, a new production written by Burçak Çöllü and directed by Yiğit Sertdemir. The play utilizes shadow play, puppetry, and music to explore the historical impact of the 1924 population exchange.

The narrative is framed through the memories of Tacettin Çınar, a Karagöz and puppet artist performing his jubilee show in 1965. Through his perspective, the play depicts the experiences of Turkish and Greek exchangees who were forced to leave their homelands to build new lives, as well as the story of his master, Mehmet Yorgi.

Director Yiğit Sertdemir stated that the production aims to examine the traces of this historical wound while celebrating themes of love, art, and human solidarity. The performance is scheduled to debut at the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage.