About the Play: This traditional shadow play was one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the Ottoman Empire and was played during the religious month of Ramadan, at festivals, coffeehouses and gardens. The play was prevalently played in Istanbul which later spread to other parts of Anatolia when the artists went on tours.
The main characters of the play are called Karagöz and Hacivat. Karagöz represents the morals and common sense of society whereas Hacivat represents the educated, well-mannered, smooth-talking aristocracy. Each character tries to persuade and influence the other in their quest to solve every day problems.
Ada Burke is a British actress, born in Turkey. She has been performing ‘Karagöz and Hacivat’ in Turkish and English in various venues across the UK on behalf of the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü – London.
The performance will be in English and is suitable for children aged 5 upwards.
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
