A total of 17 productions, 11 from Türkiye and 6 from abroad, will be staged at the festival, which will be held under the co-sponsorship of Koç Holding Energy Group companies Aygaz, Entek, Opet and Tüpraş and curated by Mehmet Birkiye.
This year, two productions within the scope of the festival will be supported by the İKSV Young Artist Fund.
While topics such as memory, language, communication, women's experiences, war, social change and belonging stand out in the festival program, productions from different disciplines will meet the audience in 13 venues in different parts of Istanbul.
The festival will open with "Lacrima"
The festival will be opened with "Lacrima" by French director Caroline Guiela Nguyen.
The play, written and directed by Nguyen, the first female director of Theater National de Strasbourg, will be staged at Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM) Turkcell Stage on 22-23 October.
The production, in which French, Tamil, English and French sign language is used, is about the labor chain extending from a fashion house in Paris to embroidery workshops in Mumbai.
Within the scope of the festival, "Wind Tree", prepared in cooperation with Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (IDOB) and MDTistanbul, will also meet the audience. The work, choreographed by Fernando Melo, will be staged at AKM Theater Hall on 24-25 October.
World famous dance company NDT 2 is in Istanbul
Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT 2), one of the world's leading contemporary dance companies, will come to Istanbul as part of the festival after a long break.
The troupe's three-part show, which brings together the works of choreographers from different generations, will meet art lovers at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Stage on 27-28 November.
The festival's international program also includes "Requiem", written and directed by Russian director Dmitry Krymov, and "Language is Not a Broblem" by Palestinian artist Marah Haj Hussein.
"Requiem" will be staged at Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage on 11-12 November, and "Language is Not Broblem" at Alan Kadıköy on 28-29 November.
The wordless solo performance called "Farewell Ritual" by the award-winning group Ad Infinitum can be watched at Paribu Art on 7-8 November.
Istanbul stories will be brought to the stage
Among the festival's productions focusing on Istanbul is "Istanbul Mon Amour: Love > Hate < Love". The production, written and directed by Murat Mahmutyazıcıoğlu, will meet the audience in different venues in Kadıköy on 21-22 November.
"The Gunslinger's Daughter Rabia Hanım", based on the narratives of Istanbul historian Reşad Ekrem Koçu, will be staged at the Phebus Auction House on 24-25 October.
"A Dowry Contract", written by Elif Özge Maltepe and directed by Murat Daltaban, will be presented to art lovers at Yeniköy Panayia Greek Orthodox Church on 30-31 October and 1 November.
Women's productions stand out in the festival program
The "There's a Woman in This" selection, which aims to make the works of female writers, directors and actors visible, will continue at the festival.
Henrik Ibsen's classic work "Nora, A Doll's House" will be staged at Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage on 14-15 November, with the interpretation of Norwegian director, actor and puppet artist Yngvild Aspeli.
"Artist Unknown: Ivi Was Here" follows the footsteps of Istanbul-born Greek painter Ivi Stangali. The production will be shown at Arter Karbon on 3-4 November and at Bakırköy Leyla Gencer Opera and Art Center on 17 November.
The festival program also includes productions such as "Anna K" written by Suzie Miller and directed by Nagihan Gürkan, "Elizabeth Costello" adapted and directed by Saim Güveloğlu and "Aksak Deliryum" directed by Yeşim Özsoy.
Support for young artists and new pursuits
The "New Quests" section, which started three years ago, will continue this year with "I Don't Remember What I Forgot Last" and "Aksak Delirium".
"I Don't Remember What I Forgot Last", prepared by Taldans, is brought to the stage based on the work "They Shot Me in Troy", which was archived by the Theater Research Laboratory (TAL) approximately 30 years ago.
The production can be watched at Alan Kadıköy on 13-14 November.
The festival will close with "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
The Istanbul Theater Festival will close with the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray".
The production, directed by Mehmet Birkiye and adapted for the stage by Kerem Kurdoğlu, will appear before the audience at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Platinum Stage on December 3.
The play, starring Salih Bademci, Engin Hepileri and Yiğit Sertdemir, will also be the last work of Birkiye's three-year festival curatorship.
Free events with Festival Plus
This year, free talks, master classes, workshops and book club events will be organized under the title of "Festival Plus" within the scope of the festival.
In the program, master classes by Fernando Melo and Caroline Guiela Nguyen will be held, as well as talks on İvi Stangali, Reşad Ekrem Koçu and contemporary dance, puppet workshops for children and various book club meetings.
Free puppet workshops will also be organized for children in cooperation with İKSV Alt Kat. "Abstract Puppet Workshop" for the 4-6 age group and "Puppet Improvisation Workshop" for the 7-9 age group will meet with children.
Tickets on sale on September 11
Festival tickets will go on general sale at 10.30 on Friday, September 11, following the pre-sale period for Lale Card members.
Tickets can be purchased from Passo's website, mobile application and retail sales points.
Within the scope of the Eczacıbaşı Young Ticket project, a limited number of student tickets will be offered for sale for 50 lira.
Within the scope of the festival, the plays will be staged in 13 different venues, including Alan Kadıköy, AKM Theater Hall, Arter Karbon, Bakırköy Leyla Gencer Opera and Art Center, Galata Perform, Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage, Komünite, Paribu Art, Phebus Auction House, Saint-Joseph French High School, Yeldeğirmeni Sanat, Yeniköy Panayia Greek Orthodox Church and Zorlu PSM.
Honorary Award to Tilbe Saran
In addition, the award ceremony of the 30th Istanbul Theater Festival was held in a hotel in Beyoğlu, with the presentation of actor Salih Bademci.
At the ceremony, the festival's "Honor Award" was presented to actress Tilbe Saran.
In his speech at the ceremony, İKSV Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı stated that the Istanbul Theater Festival has brought together artists from Türkiye and the world in Istanbul since 1989, and drew attention to the structure of the festival that supports young artists and opens up space for new pursuits.
30th Istanbul Theater Festival Curator Mehmet Birkiye thanked the artists, İKSV, sponsors and audiences who contributed to the festival after his three-year curatorship period.
Festival programming manager Handan Uzal Dündar shared details about the festival program.
In his statement to AA correspondent, Dündar stated that they prepared this year's program of the festival under the curatorship of Mehmet Birkiye and said, "There are 11 local productions and 6 international productions in the festival. We will present works from many different geographies, from Palestine to Lithuania, from the Netherlands to France, in different formats. On the domestic production side, 11 of our productions will premiere at the festival, and we will experience the excitement of this." he said.
