The Istanbul Theatre Festival is preparing to raise its curtain for the 29th time. Taking place between October 20 and November 22 under the curatorship of Mehmet Birkiye, the festival will host a total of 16 theatre, performance, and dance productions from Turkey and abroad.
Organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), the Istanbul Theatre Festival is preparing to meet theatre lovers for the 29th time. Curated by Mehmet Birkiye, this year’s program will feature six international and ten local productions. The festival will open with a performance by Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ long-established dance company celebrating its 80th anniversary. On the opening night, audiences will experience Cathedral, choreographed by Marcos Morau and integrated with the spiritual music of Arvo Pärt.
The French-Catalan company Baro d’evel will take the stage with Who Are We?, a striking production that blends dance, circus, and theatre. The festival will also premiere three new local productions supported by the İKSV Young Artists Fund.
The festival will open its doors to audiences in 11 different venues across both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul: Alan Kadıköy, Beyoğlu Sineması, Beyoğlu Sports Club, Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage, İMÇ, Zorlu PSM, Paribu Art, Moda Sahnesi, Metrohan, Mecidiyeköy Sahne, and a historic inn in Haliç. Festival tickets will go on sale on September 12.
The Festival Honorary Award Was Presented to Seçkin Selvi
The award ceremony of the 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), was held on the evening of Tuesday, September 9, at The Marmara Hotel Taksim. During the evening, the Honorary Award of the 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival was presented to Seçkin Selvi, translator, theatre critic, writer, journalist, stage and costume designer, and educator.
At the ceremony, İKSV Chairman of the Board Bülent Eczacıbaşı emphasized that the 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival would once again meet audiences with an innovative program this year. Highlighting that the festival continues to provide space for young artists, women creators, and marginalized individuals, Eczacıbaşı stated: “Our festival will bring polyphonic forms of expression, original styles, and unconventional perspectives to the stage.”
Festival curator Mehmet Birkiye, in his speech, underscored the transformative power of theatre and the role of the audience in that transformation:
“Theatre forgets nothing. Nor does it allow anything to be forgotten. It is the gravedigger of the past. Like Hamlet, it forces the audience to gaze into that pit. And what doesn’t it put inside… Regrets, loves, laughter, meanings, voids, dreams, joys, lost worlds… The more you dig, the more you unearth. And still it is not enough—it shakes every branch we cling to, tries to drop its fruits, provokes, mocks; it exposes the strings of all happiness, all loves, all sorrows, and, of course, all heroes.
Only those thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and heroes that can withstand theatre’s lash can stand tall. And with every play, the audience finds themselves face to face with the danger of losing their heroes, their beliefs, their very soul. Yet sometimes with wild laughter, sometimes in tears, they lay their head upon the altar for the sake of their soul’s salvation and assume responsibility for their actions. Is it possible to find a hero so tragic and so entertaining? My hero is the audience. I thank them sincerely.”
In her acceptance speech, Seçkin Selvi emphasized that criticism is an inseparable part of art, stating:
“I would like to thank the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts for this very meaningful award. The award carries two important meanings: The first is that a theatre critic is being honored in the context of the Theatre Festival, thereby underlining that criticism is a natural part of theatre. For criticism, by examining the strengths and weaknesses of works of art with reasoned arguments, is not only a supporter, companion, and ally of all art forms, but above all, its provocateur.
The second meaning of the award, which is particularly important to me, is that in today’s world—where criticism has acquired a political identity targeted by the sword of Damocles—both criticism and the critic are being honored. I am honored, I am proud, and I am deeply grateful.”
This Year at the Festival
At the 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival, literary adaptations hold a significant place. Among the notable productions are The New York Trilogy (Paul Auster) from France, Faust from Ankara State Theatre, and The Struggles and Transformations of a Woman from Moda Sahnesi. In addition, Fora, the first play written by author Hikmet Hükümenoğlu, will be one of the festival’s special productions.
Accessibility
Supported by İKSV’s Accessible Art Partner DenizBank, Hamlet will be staged by the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza with eight actors with Down syndrome. This production stands out as part of İKSV’s inclusive vision of art, aiming to increase the visibility of individuals with disabilities in the field of culture and the arts.
Within the theme “There Is a Woman in This Work,” carried out in collaboration with Odeabank, two productions will be staged this year: The Window Below, directed by İlyas Özçakır, and Bovary, a production by Belgium’s Royal Flemish Theatre KVS.
Special Projects
The “New Quests” section, which began last year, will continue this year as well. I Fell Asleep While Thinking About the Origins of Private Property in Front of the Television and Woke Up to My Father’s Voice, Hellflower, and Marrying Jonas stand out as works by young artists approaching performance from different perspectives.
Among the festival’s special projects are performances to be staged in different parts of Istanbul. These include Istanbul Mon Amour: The Darkroom of Pera by Kumbaracı50, Open Property to be staged at İMÇ, and What Happened in Istanbul on the Path of Love: The Cabinet of Circassian Rıdvan, inspired by the writings of Reşad Ekrem Koçu.
Children’s Plays
The festival does not forget its youngest theatre-goers. Play Within a Play, designed by Ceren Oran, will offer a fun and interactive experience that sparks children’s imaginations through improvisation on stage.
Intellectual Preparation Through Pre-Festival Talks
In September, a series of free side events will begin ahead of the festival, giving audiences the opportunity to enrich their stage experience on an intellectual level. Some of the talks in the program include:
“Understanding and Translating Paul Auster” – Seçkin Selvi & Didem Bayındır (September 23)
“Bringing Édouard Louis to the Stage” – Eylül Görmüş & Kemal Aydoğan (September 29)
“Reading Bovary Today Through a Feminist Lens” – Deniz Yüce Başarır & Hülya Adak (October 10)
Event details are available at tiyatro.iksv.org.
