Magic world of puppets to pull İzmir's strings

İZMİR - Dha photo

During the Puppet Days, 40 puppet theater groups will perform 42 shows in 27 different venues in 147 separate events in İzmir. DHA photo

The 8th İzmir International Puppet Days, considered one of the largest puppet festivals in Europe, opened yesterday. This year, 40 puppet theater groups will perform 42 shows in 27 different venues in 147 separate events as part of the festival program.

Six exhibitions from different countries will also host art-lovers, while Argentinean, Irish, Israeli and Canadian artists will hold four workshops for professional stage artists and share their knowledge. In addition, the youth will be embraced by a local elementary school puppet show contest. 

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, the festival’s director, Selçuk Dinçer, said it was one of the two largest puppet events in Europe, with one in Russia that is held every two years.  “This year we will host 40 puppet theater groups from 20 countries. Forty-two shows in the festival will be on stage at 27 venues, one is Selçuk and the other is Marmaris. They will be performed 147 times and we expect over 60,000 people,” he said.

Dinçer said the festival had to overcome the prejudice that puppet shows are only for children and they had a very rich program appealing to every age group.

“Among them is ‘Carmen,’ which is performed by Russia’s Vologda Regional Puppet Theater. All European festivals are trying to bring this. It is the Carmen opera that we know, but with puppets. It is one of the best performances for adults,” he said.
 
festival, said Dinçer. “Angels of the Chimney” will be staged in İzmir’s Historical Town Coal Gas Factory, one of the most important historical sites of the city. Such site-specific shows started as a concept in the 1960s with the idea of taking art outside of exhibition halls, museums and galleries and performing it in different environments.

“This show will be free of charge on March 21 and 22. Artists have been working for a long time for it, which will play a role in Turkey’s and İzmir’s promotion in the world,” Dinçer added.

Within the scope of the festival, there will also be six exhibitions at the İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum Kültürpark Art Gallery. Tickets for the festival’s paid shows can be reached through the website www.izmirkuklagunleri.com and the Atatürk Culture Center.