Theatre of Turkey


Turkish theatre refers to theatre activities that started with several ceremonies and imitation shows demonstrating the times in which the Turks resided in Central Asia. The development of theater art has accelerated with the arrival of Turks in Anatolia, especially when they conquered Istanbul and made it the capital. Turkish theater after this period can be considered as traditional theater and theater developing under the influence of the west.

Traditional Turkish theatre

Under the traditional theater title, there are generally types of shows such as puppets, Meddah, Karagöz, Medium Play, and village watching. Traditional theater based on song, dance and speech plays does not rely on written text. In traditional theater, comedy is at the forefront. These plays are usually performed on a stageless theatre. From these, the origins of spectator village games extend to prehistoric abundance ceremonies and primitive beliefs. There are also traces of the beliefs brought by Turks from Central Asia, as well as the cultures of the communities that lived in Anatolia before. Even if the aims of these games initially changed over time, it seems that the Turkish peasants continued this tradition.