Deaf Theatre: The Representation of Identity
October 2026 – September 2027
ISTANBUL
Deaf Theatre: The Representation of Identity is a collective creative production project that aims to bring to audiences a theatre performance developed by Deaf people, drawing on their own languages, cultural heritage and lived experiences.
Rather than reducing the Deaf community to a disability category, the project approaches Deaf people through their linguistic and cultural identity. Drawing inspiration from identity-based theatre traditions, it positions the stage as a space for self-representation. Turkish Sign Language (TİD) is not treated merely as a means of translation or interpretation, but as the primary language shaping both the narrative and the aesthetic of the performance.
The project seeks to develop a theatre practice in which Deaf people participate not only as performers, but also as creative agents who determine their own narratives and forms of representation. The resulting performance is expected to contribute to the visibility and recognition of Deaf identity and culture, while laying the groundwork for a sustainable Deaf theatre practice in Türkiye.
Birce Semercioğlu
Birce Semercioğlu works in artistic production, education and research in the field of theatre. Her doctoral research in Performing Arts at Dokuz Eylül University examines Deaf theatre through the interconnected themes of language, identity, culture, representation and resistance.
As part of the free education programmes offered by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, she has conducted sign-language theatre workshops with mixed groups of Deaf and hearing participants. These practice-based workshops have enabled participants to engage in collaborative stage-making through Turkish Sign Language.
Alongside her academic research and theatre practice, Semercioğlu organises seminars to raise awareness of the linguistic and cultural rights of Deaf communities. Her work focuses on identity-based theatre, collective creation and opportunities for artistic expression in Deaf people's own languages.