Türkiye, Greece team up for bilingual ‘Romeo & Juliet’ in Ankara
Turkish and Greek artists join forces to bring a new production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to audiences in two countries
“Romeo and Juliet,” a co-production between the State Theaters of Türkiye (DT) and the Piraeus City Theater of Greece, takes the stage Saturday evening at the Ankara Cuneyt Gokcer Stage. This fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic love story features Turkish and Greek artists collaborating to bring the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet from feuding families to life.
The play, the product of two-month rehearsals between Turkish and Greek artists in Greece, will premiere tomorrow. Anadolu Agency (AA) documented the final rehearsal, capturing the culmination of this international collaboration.
‘Hate only leads to loss’
In an interview with an AA correspondent prior to the rehearsal, director Lefteris Yovanidis stressed the significance of artists from both countries engaging in communication, collaboration, and bridge-building efforts.
Highlighting the deep cultural ties between the two nations, Yovanidis remarked, “We have the opportunity to portray two families that have adapted the original play – one Greek and the other Turkish. They live in the same city, facing numerous conflicts. Ultimately, they come to understand that mutual respect is paramount. Hatred only leads to losses; embracing love in our daily lives leads to victories.”
Yovanidis highlighted the mutual compassion between the people of Greece and Türkiye, along with numerous shared aspects that tie the two countries together. However, he acknowledged that political dynamics can create divisions.
Staged in Ankara, Istanbul and Athens
Yovanidis expressed his positive experience collaborating with both Turkish and Greek artists, noting that the actors shared a similar experience and were able to establish a common language for their collaboration quickly and effortlessly.
Yovanidis conveyed his excitement about meeting the audience and eagerly awaited their reactions, mentioning that they were looking forward to the audience understanding the message they aimed to deliver.
Yovanidis stated that they will perform in Istanbul and Athens after Ankara and that they would like to perform in other cities, such as Thessaloniki, Izmir, and Antalya.
The play is set to be performed on April 20 at 8 p.m. at the Cuneyt Gokcer Stage.
Source: Newsroom
