Heidi Trautmann

Sep 2 – Oct 2: 11th Cyprus Theatre Festival
8/21/2013

 

North Cyprus gripped by the theatre fever

By Heidi Trautmann

Last year’s poster for the 10th festival was Sisyphus who tried in vain to roll the stone of his destiny up the rocky hill knowing that he will not succeed but is forced to try again and again. This year, for the 11th Cyprus Theatre Festival, the organizer, the Lefkosa Belediye Theatre in the person of the designer Umut Ersoy have chosen – with a hind thought I presume – the mythology figure of Prometheus who was condemned to have his liver torn out by an eagle because he had brought the light to the humans. Theatre the enlightener. But in the image of the poster Prometheus rises above the clouds towards the light, he fears not the chains nor the pain, he progresses towards the aim he has put up for himself. ‘Resisting to stay human’ is the slogan.

Those were two hard years for the LBT and I admire the unfailing courage of the company with Yaşar Ersoy at the front to fight for the existence of the Cyprus theatre and with it the most anticipated event of the year, the Theatre Festival. I have been witness to the fights, witness to the protests and also witness to several years of theatre festival.

For years now the famous theatre companies of Turkey have faithfully and positively answered the invitation by Yaşar Ersoy to come and perform for the people of Cyprus and every single year we have had the pleasure of witnessing high quality theatre. Usually, in the past within days all the tickets were taken and the theatre house was full to the last seat and students were sitting on the steps.

The press was invited to receive the news of the confirmed programme from 2 September to 2 October, four weeks with altogether ten evenings of high class theatre. Yaşar Ersoy (LBT) and Kadri Fellahoğlu, Mayor of Lefkoşa, welcomed the press representatives, emphasizing the importance of the theatre in a country. The entire LBT theatre company was present and we all, including the many sponsors, had the opportunity to talk to them. Nothing else remains to be done than give an overview of the programme:

Sep 2: Hürrem Sultan by Orhan Asena – Ankara State Theatre;

Sep 5: Zengin Mutfağı by Vasif Öngören – Istanbul City Theatre;

Sep 8: Ateşli Sabir by Antonio Skarmeta – Istanbul City Theatre;

Sep 10: Bu da Geçer Ya Hu by Uğur Saatçı – Trabzon State Theatre

Sep 13: Sonbahari Beklerken by Gökhan Erarslan – Sadri Alişik Theatre

Sep 15: Küçük Adam ne oldu sana? by Hans Fallada - Sadri Alışık Theatre

Sep 17: Toplu Hikayeler by Donald Margulies – Kenter Theatre

Sep 19: Ben Ödüyorum by Yves Jamiaque – Ankara State Theatre

Sep 21: Küçük prens by Saint Exupéry – Bitiyatro

Sep 24 and 25: Ada by Athol Fugart – Lefkoşa Municipality Theatre

Sep 27: Akdeniz by Nesrin Kazankaya Pera Theatre

Sep 30: Othello by W.Shakespeare – Antalya State Theatre

Oct 2: Söz Meclisten Içeri by Uğur Mumcu – Ankara Ekin theatre

This year there were many sponsors: Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture; Golden Tulip; Platin, Limassol Bank, Telsim, Red K-Pet, Konaklama, Salon, Near East University, Gümüş, Eziç, and many more, mentioned on the Programme.

 

All performances start at 21:00 hrs. On all evenings of performance the Lefkoşa Municipality Orchestra and the Nefesli Trio will give a concert starting at 20.30 in the Foyer.

For the foreign residents I would like to add that good theatre does not need interpretation for a true theatre fan; also, more information on the plays and playwrights can easily be obtained in the internet in advance.

For tickets contact Lefkoşa Belediye Tiyatrosu Tel 227 8782; 

email: lefkosabelediyetixatrosu@hotmail.com; and more details on their website www.lefkosabelediyetiyatrosu.com; all performances will be at the Atatürk Conference Centre in the Near East University, except the play “Ada” on Sep 24 and 25 at the Lefkoşa Belediye Theatre.

 

 

 

Festival Programme, click to enlarge
Festival Programme, click to enlarge


A flower for three nice guys Umut Ersoy, Riza Şen and Osman Ateş at the reception
A flower for three nice guys Umut Ersoy, Riza Şen and Osman Ateş at the reception


Press Conference at the Golden Tulips - Sponsors and Press
Press Conference at the Golden Tulips - Sponsors and Press






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