Turkish theater enthusiasts realize their dreams in Kosovo

PRIZREN

A group of Turkish theater enthusiasts in Prizren, Kosovo, have come together to bring their dream of performing theater to life on the stage of the theater café they opened.

Having staged plays for years in alternative venues in Prizren, these theater artists found the solution to their venue problems by opening their own space.

Sonay Buş, Tansu Kervan and their friends transformed the basement of a shop near the historic Shadervan Square into "Art Theater Aziz Buş Chamber Stage" and the ground floor into a café. This initiative allowed them to take their artistic journey to a new level by creating a space where they could both manage and practice their art.

Theater director Buş and director-actor Kervan spoke to the state-run Anadolu Agency about their goals for the stage, the problems they faced, their work and their aspirations.

Buş stated that their stage, which hosts theater performances as well as various activities such as courses for children and adults, film screenings and yoga events, has quickly become a favorite venue, particularly among the city's Turkish community.

Mentioning past difficulties in paying venue rentals and finding available dates, Buş said, "Theater needs to be sustainable, this is why we needed a stage of our own. That's why we established Aziz Buş Chamber Stage and the theater café."

Buş noted that at least one play is staged at their venue each week, including a current play focused on Ramadan, adding: "Our venue is not just for us; it also serves the Turkish community in Kosovo. One of our main goals when establishing this place was to prevent other Turkish theater groups in Kosovo from experiencing the difficulties we faced."

Kervan emphasized the need for collaborations to ensure the sustainability of their stage, saying, "We want this place to remain open at all times, continuously serving the people of Prizren and contributing to the arts."

Kervan explained that five people worked non-stop for two months to open the stage and café, making many of the furnishings themselves.

Describing the unique atmosphere of their venue, Kervan added, "We participate in State Theater Festivals in Türkiye. We will attend again this year, and we hope to see even more participation, with Turkish theater groups coming here to perform on our stage."

Turkish theater in Kosovo officially began in the 1930s with Karagöz and Hacivat performances and traditional Ottoman-era plays, reaching its golden age in the 1980s.

Alongside "Art Theater," the "Nafız Gürcüali Turkish Theater" and its Kabare Kabare theater troupe continue to represent Turkish theater actively, striving to stage productions with symbolic support from institutions such as the Kosovo Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Additionally, these theater groups frequently participate in festivals held in Türkiye throughout the year, bringing their performances to new audiences.