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Mem û Zîn on the Road

March - April 2022
BATMAN, DİYARBAKIR, SİİRT, MARDİN (Kızıltepe), URFA, BİTLİS (Tatvan), VAN, HAKKARİ, AĞRI (Doğu Beyazıt), ONLINE 

Mem û Zîn on the Road is a tour project of the play Mem û Zîn staged by Şermola Performans. The play was staged in the centres of Batman, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Siirt, Van, Tatvan, Hakkari, Doğubeyazıt, Cizre, and Viranşehir. The staging is designed using little scenery and lighting in order to make the production easy for touring. In the above mentioned provinces, theatre activities in Kurdish are either not held at all or are carried out irregularly by a few independent groups. With the Mem û Zîn on the road project, citizens living in the above mentioned towns had the opportunity to access an arts event in their mother tongue.

After each performance, a conversation was held with the spectators. The production and creation process of Mem û Zîn was explained, and questions were answered. This ensured that the audience not only watches the play in a passive role, but also receives background information about the production & creation process, and actively participates in the discussion by asking questions.

Furthermore, online theatre workshops was held for a month with young people that the troupe will meet during the tour. Workshops was carried out for young people who are new to or interested in theatre and who want to carry out theatre activities in their mother tongue, to gain a new perspective in cultural, artistic and social aspects.

The production and the tour itself was recorded and stored for archival purposes. Short videos from the performances and the tour were broadcast on digital channels, informing those who have not watched the play about the upcoming tour dates, and encouraging young people to produce, record and broadcast in their mother tongue, while setting an example for living social and professional life in Kurdish.

Şermola Performance

Şermola Performance, which was founded in 2008 by Mirza Metin and Berfin Zenderlioğlu, staged productions as a traveling ensemble until they turned a bar into a theatre in Beyoğlu Istanbul in 2010. Şermola Performans had to close its stage in 2016 due to economic and political reasons; however, the group continued to produce new works. To date, the group has staged 25 productions, one of which is a children's play, and participated in festivals at home and abroad, toured and reached thousands of spectators. Şermola Performans received theatre awards from many institutions, and articles were published about its productions.

Şermola Performance's Germany office was founded in 2018 by Mirza Metin, with the support and direction of Hicran Demir. The theatre office in Cologne carries out both independent productions and co-productions with German theatre companies. In 2021, the Batman office of the group was opened by Mirza Metin, with the support and direction of Hazni Demir, Kenan Demir and Pelda Bal. Şermola Performans continues to stage independent productions and gives theatre trainings in Batman. 

This page is published on 10 January 2022.
Last update: 25 April 2022