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Theatrical and cultural events in Istanbul

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2026-10-07 11:14 UTC → 2026-10-08 15:15 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Cultural and theatrical events in Istanbul have highlighted historical narratives and archives. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Theatres debuted a production titled ‘Hayalî’nin Hayali’, which uses shadow play and puppetry to explore the historical impact of the 1924 population exchange through the perspective of a puppet artist. Written by Burçak Çöllü and directed by Yiğit Sertdemir, the play premiered at the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage. 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 production depicts the experiences of Turkish and Greek exchangees forced to leave their homelands, as well as the story of his master, Mehmet Yorgi. Director Yiğit Sertdemir stated the production aims to examine the “traces of this historical wound” while celebrating love, art, and human solidarity. The premiere was attended by officials including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture, Art and Social Affairs Department Head Tolga Volkan Aslan and City Theatres General Art Director Ayşegül İşsever. During the event, İşsever noted the historical significance of the theme and the importance of preserving shared histories. In conjunction with the 8th International Theatre Festival, the ‘Memory of Our Theatre’ exhibition opened at the Yaşar Kemal Cultural Center in Maltepe. The exhibition showcases rare documents, posters, and ephemera from the personal archive of collector Vural Arlıer, documenting the historical development of Turkish theatre.

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