Berlin/Istanbul Again: Theatre, Memory, and the New Wave of Migration

In this article I investigate the relationship between contemporary Turkish and German theatres and the transnational exchanges between Istanbul and Berlin after the “new wave” of migration. I focus on Ceren Ercan’s two plays Seni Seviyorum Türkiye (“I Love You, Turkey”) and Berlin Zamanı (“Time for Berlin”). Through her use of dark humour and experimental dramaturgy, Ercan manages to bring together diverse but interconnected issues pertaining to the everyday lives of secular segments of Turkish society. Her exploration of the exilic and nostalgic aspects in these experiences forges new connections between Istanbul and Berlin and highlights the importance of personal and institutional collaboration across borders. At a time when postmigrant theatre contests the parameters of German national identity within the context of the nation-state, Ercan’s work opens the theatre scene to further transnational configurations.

Duke Scholars

Author Mert Bahadir Reisoglu German Studies