This weekend, the Union of Cypriots in the UK (EKA) and various Greek and Turkish Cypriot organisations, the Cypriot Artists Platform UK and Turkish Cypriot Association for Democracy are coming together to celebrate Friendship Week between Cypriots. The 3-day programme includes theatre performances at the Cypriot Community Centre in Wood Green, North London, followed by a special book launch at the Turkish Cypriot Community Association in Harringay on Sunday.
The Friendship Week aims to support the peaceful and harmonious co-existence of the two Cypriot communities. The arts have played an important role in bringing Greek and Turkish Cypriots together in Cyprus, now is the turn of the two Diasporas.
The weekend programme starts with two plays, both performed on Friday and Saturday nights. The first play is called Kıbrıs, Rumca Küstüm Türkçe Kırıldım (‘I was embittered in Greek and was hurt in Turkish’). It is written by Faize Özdemirciler, with music by renowned artist Ersen Sururi, and directed and performed by Yaşar Ersoy in Turkish, with Greek and English subtitles. The second piece of theatre is called A Handful of Earth, by Michalis Pashardis and directed by Stelios Kafkaridis (Satirikon Theatre). It’s performed in Greek with Turkish and English subtitles.
Entry is just £7, which helps cover the travel and accommodation costs of the eight actors and production staff flying in from Cyprus, who are all taking part on pro bono. Additional financial support was provided by the Greek Cypriot-run Republic of Cyprus.
The bi-communal Cypriot spirit continues on Sunday, with the public invited to the London book launch of Theatre Breaks Down Borders. Published in Greek and Turkish, it chronicles the 30 year-long collaboration between the Satirikon Theatre and the Turkish Cypriοt Municipal Theatre, Nicosia.
The book’s co-authors Yaşar Ersoy and Costas Kafkaridis will be present for the book launch, which is free to attend and is being hosted by the TCCA at 628-630 Green Lanes, London, N8 OSD. The event, which starts at 3pm and runs till 6pm, includes a small reception for guests.
Play Details
Title: Friendship Week Cypriot Theatre
Dates: Friday 01 and Saturday 02 June 2018
Starts: 8pm
Venue: Cypriot Community Centre, Earlham Grove, Wood Green, London N22 5HJ
Admission: £7. Contact Mehmet Mahmut (07547 927209) or Photios Kouzoupis (07885 680033) for tickets and more information
Photo: performance of ‘Kıbrıs Rumca Küstüm Türkçe Kırıldım’ staged by the Turkish Cypriοt Municipal Theatre in Lefkoşa in 2015, starring Yaşar Ersoy, with music written & performed live by Ersen Sururi.
