Hayalî’nin Hayali brings the 1924 population exchange to the stage
Staged at the IMM City Theatres, the play Hayalî’nin Hayali addresses the 1924 Turkish-Greek population exchange around the axis of shared losses and the search for a homeland.
Written by Melisa Vardal and meeting audiences at the IMM City Theatres, the play Hayalî’nin Hayali brings the 1924 Turkish-Greek population exchange to the stage through the shared losses, issues of belonging, and possibilities of coexistence of the two peoples.
The Exchange Story and Stage Staging
Written by Burçak Çöllü and directed by Yiğit Sertdemir, the play Hayalî’nin Hayali begins with a past story narrated by the puppeteer Hayalî Taceddin Çınar during his jubilee night in 1958.
Benefiting from the narrative possibilities of Karagöz and shadow play, the production conveys the pains experienced during the exchange period and the difficulties faced by the peoples to the audience.
Two Peoples Taking Shelter on the Same Island
The ship carrying Turkish exchangees sent from Greece is caught in a storm, and after a journey marked by hunger and disease, survivors of the sinking ship take shelter on an island rumored to be cursed.
Shortly after, Greek exchangees setting out from İzmir also reach the same island, embarking on a struggle for a new life alongside the homes they left behind and the loved ones they lost.
The Search for Belonging and Shared Experiences
Having to leave their lives in their own countries behind, the two peoples are forced to confront the stories of enmity told to them while trying to hold on in a new place.
The question of where we will go, voiced by the characters, reveals not only the search for a geographical settlement, but also the human need to build a life where one can feel a sense of belonging.
Master-Apprentice Relationship and Coexistence
While music, sound effects, smoke, and mobile stage setups allow the audience to enter directly into the story, Taceddin's childhood is conveyed through a puppet.
His master Mehmet Yorgi, whose mother was Greek and father was Turkish and who was raised by the island's people, symbolizes that the relationship between the two peoples cannot be read solely through conflict and separation.