The 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival, taking place from October 20 to November 22, spreads across both sides of Istanbul. Curated by Mehmet Birkiye, the program features six international and ten local productions. The festival not only thrives on stage but also rekindles the vitality of theatre by forging connections in various corners of the city, inviting audiences with new texts, literary adaptations, and site-specific projects.
The opening performance, Cathedral by Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, choreographed by Marcos Morau, blends Arvo Pärt’s spiritual music with a retro-futuristic atmosphere, transforming bodies into architectural elements. It will be staged on October 20–21 at Zorlu PSM Turkcell Stage. Following this, the French-Catalan company Baro d’evel’s Who Are We? constructs an ecological ritual reflecting on existence amidst wars and the climate crisis, performed on October 22–23 at the same venue.
One of the festival’s accessibility initiatives is Hamlet, performed by eight actors with Down syndrome. Teatro La Plaza’s equality-driven interpretation reimagines existence on stage and will be presented on October 23–24 at Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage. Goethe’s masterpiece Faust, directed by Ayşe Emel Mesci and produced by Ankara State Theatre, will meet audiences on November 18 and 20 at Mecidiyeköy Stage.
Literary adaptations take center stage this year. Igor Mendjisky’s New York Trilogy merges detective fiction with postmodern storytelling and closes the festival on November 21–22 at Zorlu PSM. Adapted from Édouard Louis’s novel, A Woman’s Struggles and Transformations holds a mirror to societal pressures and invisible female labor, staged on October 25–26 at Moda Stage.
New productions also fuel the festival’s energy. Hellflower, bringing Alper Canıgüz’s character Alper Kamu to the stage, will be performed on November 7–8 at Alan Kadıköy. Reka Kolektif’s Marrying Jonas, a multilayered narrative using media tools, will take place on November 19–20 at the same venue. Hikmet Hükümenoğlu’s debut theatre text Fora, questioning the costs of domestic peace, will premiere on November 4–5 at Paribu Art.
Special projects spread across the city enrich the festival’s spirit. Kumbaracı50’s Istanbul Mon Amour: Pera’s Dark Room will be staged on November 15–16 in Beyoğlu. Barış Arman’s site-specific experience Open Property will take place on November 13–15 at İMÇ. Adapted from Reşad Ekrem Koçu’s stories, What Happened in Istanbul on the Path of Love: Çerkes Rıdvan’s Cabinet will meet audiences on October 26 in a historic han.
Festival tickets went on sale via Passo on Friday, September 12, with pre-sales for Lale Kart members starting on September 9. Through the Eczacıbaşı Young Ticket project, a limited number of student tickets are available for 30 TL, supporting young audiences’ access to theatre.
The 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival is set to captivate audiences once again with productions that push the boundaries of the body, blend literature with theatre, and bring diverse perspectives to the stage. The transformative power of theatre will envelop the city for a month.
