What's on at IMM City Theatres this week?

In the 110th year of the City Theatres, a rich repertoire awaits art lovers, with works by classical and contemporary writers from Bertolt Brecht to Suat Derviş, from Torben Betts to Haldun Taner at the forefront.

This week, the plays Švejk (Nilüfer Kent Tiyatro-Guest Play), Phosphorous Cevriye, Yenilmez, I Close My Eyes I Do My Duty, Dog's Heart, Sky Dome, Gypsy Boxer, My Bicycle Was Blue, Everyone Will Be a Magician, Dream, Watchman and the Postman, The Nutcracker, World Without Garbage, and Tale will meet the audience.

ISTANBUL MEETS POETRY

This week, under the title of Istanbul Meets Poetry, Gülten Akın's poem "I Was Responsible for Narcissus" will be reflected on the stage. Radife Baltaoğlu, Sevil Akı, Yeşim Koçak, Işıl Zeynep Karaalp, Şirin Asutay, Ebru Üstüntaş, Elvan Boran will take part in the event adapted and directed by Emre Koyuncuoğlu in the universe of poems written by Gülten Akın. The event will be held on March 2, 2025 at Müze Gazhane Meydan Sahne.

Tickets for the play can be purchased from the box office or from the IMM City Theatres website.

THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM (February 26 - March 2, 2025)

ŞVAYK (Nilüfer City Theatre-Guest Play)

Dog seller Švejk spends his days at Mrs. Kopecka's Kupa Tavern with his gourmand friend Baloun. He is arrested for his words about the assassination attempt on Hitler. He manages to survive thanks to his astonishing language games, but finds himself before Stalingrad, the turning point of World War II. In the boundless Russian steppes, the enemy is strong... Winter is very hard... Returning home is a dream... The play, written by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Yücel Erten and directed by Doğu Yaşar Akal, will be at the Üsküdar Musahipzade Celal Stage between February 26 and March 1, 2025.

PHOSPHORUS GLUE

Cevriye, who believes she was born from the stars in the sky because she does not know her parents, who grows up as a street child in the lap of the sea, who performs “icra-i sanat” in the Galata district to feed herself, is not an ordinary street girl, but actually the streets of Istanbul themselves. On that night when she is close to death from illness and cold, she clings to life and passionate love thanks to a mysterious man who appears before her. The play, which is presented with rich descriptions of Istanbul in the 1930s and 1940s, conveys the relationship between women, mothers, children and young men who are trying to hold on to life in the back streets, prisons and joints of the neighborhoods and the authority with striking stories. Written by Suat Derviş, adapted by Gülriz Sururi and directed by Yelda Baskın, the play will be at the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage between February 26 and March 1.

UNDEFEATED (16+ Years Old)

Oliver and Emily, who cannot live in London due to the economic crisis, move from London to a small town in the north of England and decide to meet "real" people there. They invite their country neighbors Alan and Dawn to their home. The relationships between people from different classes, which start with great disappointment and gradually become strange, lead to tragic consequences. The play, written by Torben Betts, translated by Nazlı Gözde Yolcu and directed by Nihat Alpteki, will be at Kağıthane Sadabad Stage between February 26 and March 1.

I CLOSE MY EYES AND DO MY DUTY

The great master of Epic Theatre, Haldun Taner, satirizes the individual and social transformations experienced from the March 31 Incident to the 71 Memorandum, as well as the things that never change in this cult work. The play tells the life stories of two opposite characters, Vicdani, who comes from a poor family and lives life without questioning, and Efruz, who was born into a wealthy family and sees every way as permissible to rise by adding to her fortune. The play, which progresses with satire, humor and sometimes sorrowful stories, asks questions about the effects of class differences on individual and social life, human nature, love of country, goodness and evil. Written by Haldun Taner and directed by Yelda Baskın, the play will be at Ümraniye Stage between February 26 and March 1.

DOG HEART (16+ Years)

The year is 1924… In the dark atmosphere of Soviet Russia, trapped within the social order and bureaucracy, Professor Preobrazhensky is working on the human brain and rejuvenation. He has developed a technique that has earned him worldwide fame and allows people to rejuvenate. He plans to conduct a new experiment in the process of brain research. He transplants the pituitary gland and testicles taken from a human to the street dog Sharik through a difficult surgery. However, unexpected changes occur after the surgery, Sharik begins to transform into a human. This change will turn the rules of Professor Preobrazhensky's house upside down. Dog's Heart asks the question of what makes a human human through a people who have lost social peace due to social engineering, rotten bureaucracy and class wars. Written by Mikhail Bulgakov, translated by Mustafa Kemal Yilmaz, adapted and directed by Onur Demircan, the play will be at the Üsküdar Kerem Yilmazer Stage between February 26 and March 1.

SKY DOME (16+ Years)

Sally, who left her home four months ago on the horse of a man she did not know, returns home to take her savings and escape, only to encounter her husband. The child of the powerful and wealthy Wax family of the region has been killed. The man who committed the murder was hanged, but Sally, who was with him at the time, had her hanging postponed because she said she was pregnant. Coombes, who was assigned as a bailiff, comes to Elizabeth's house to tell her that she must join the jury that was assembled to determine whether Sally was pregnant. The court asked 12 women to give their opinions on whether Sally was pregnant or not. According to the laws of the time, if Sally was pregnant, she would be exiled to America instead of being hanged. The women, who are kept in a room with no candles, fire or food until a decision is made, try to make a judgment about Sally, while the truths about their own past, their ties and being a woman will also be revealed. Making a fair decision on another woman's life will not be as easy as they think. Written by Lucy Kirkwood, translated by Özden Gököz, and directed by Ali Gökmen Altuğ, the play will be at the Müze Gazhane Prof. Dr. Sevda Şener Stage between February 26 and March 1.

GYPSY BOXER

The play, based on the tragic life of Johann Wilhelm Trollmann, a boxing star in the 1920s, is told to the audience through the testimony of a fictional character, Hans. The two, who met in childhood, leave years behind with a strong bond of friendship. Gypsy boxer Ruki, who becomes a star with his unique style, is exposed to the fascist policies and discrimination of Nazi Germany. Even though he is the German Champion, this title is not given to him and he is always condemned to lose. The striking story of friendship to death, starting in poor neighborhoods and continuing until the concentration camps... The play, written by Rike Reiniger and directed by Cafer Alpsolay, will be at the Müze Gazhane Meydan Sahne between February 26 and March 1.

MY BICYCLE WAS BLUE

This journey into the memories of a man who follows the longing he feels for Izmir, where he spent his early youth, and his first love, takes us from the Izmir of the 1950s to the present day. The play, written by Dinçer Sümer and directed by Ersin Umulu, will be at Beylikdüzü Rasim Öztekin Stage on March 1, 2025.

EVERYONE WILL BE A WIZARD (Ages 3+)

The students of the famous magician Zubi dream of becoming “masters” and taking his magic hat. Zubi organizes a competition to determine the new owner of the magic hat. The play, which progresses with illusion shows, tells the importance of moving towards the goal together. The play, written and directed by Kubilay Tuncer, will be at the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage on March 2.

DREAM(5+Age)

Visiting the zoo, Özgür sees his animal friends who were taken from their natural habitats and put in cages in his dream. It is time to take action and Özgür is determined to save them. The play written by Özge Midilli-Ertan Kılıç and directed by Özge Midilli will be at Kağıthane Sadabad Stage on March 2.

THE WATCHMAN AND THE POSTMAN (Ages 3+)

In the play adapted from the children's book Postman Piero and Night Watchman Marcello, a watchman and a postman are roommates. They never see each other because one works nights and the other day. When they both get sick on a cold winter day, they have to share the house at the same time. The play, written by Lodovica Cima and Gabriele Clima, translated by Ceylan Özçapkın, adapted and directed by Derya Yıldırım, stars Melisa Demirhan, Besim Demirkıran, Cafer Alpsolay, Fatma İnan, Reyhan Karasu, and Zeynep Ceren Gedikali. The play will be at the Üsküdar Musahipzade Celal Stage on March 2, 2025.

NUTCRACKER (Ages 7+)

Little Clara forms a special bond with the Nutcracker toy she received as a New Year's gift. That night, when the beauty behind what is seen will be revealed, a great adventure begins in other worlds between dreams and reality. This folk story, which has attracted great attention in opera and cinema with its different versions from the 1800s to the present, is now being staged in all its glory at the City Theater. Asrın Gurur Kuyucak, Gözde İpek Köse, Cihan Kurtaran, Çağrı Büyüksayar, Derya Keykubat, Dolunay Pircioğlu, Emel Bertan, Esra Ede, Emrah Derviş Soylu, Gürkan Başbuğ, Hakan Gümüş, Osman Kaba, Pelin Budak, Salih Şimşek, Sefa Turan, Selen Nur Sarıyar, Ümit Bülent Dinçer, and Yılmaz Aydın star in the play. The play will be at Ümraniye Stage on March 2, 2025.

WORLD WITHOUT GARBAGE (Ages 4+)

One day, when the color of the clouds and the direction of the wind change due to climate change and air pollution; a hopeful, happy and conscious kite named Uç Uç falls into a garbage dump because his tail breaks off. In the garbage dump, he meets a rag doll named Tüfüllü and a discarded parcel named Koli Koli. A struggle begins between the Garbage King who controls the garbage dump and his assistant Sinek and Uç Uç who tries to change their established order. The play Garbage-Free World seeks answers to the question of how a world free of waste is possible by addressing issues such as “recycling, repair, zero waste and colored waste bins” in today’s world where consumer culture has unconsciously spread through cute characters. The play, written by Arzu Yurtseven and directed by Nihat Alpteki, will be on the Museum Gazhane Prof. Dr. Sevda Şener Stage on March 2.

FAIRY TALE (5+Years)

Three children embark on a fantastic journey against a food thief and his accomplice who steal more food than they deserve and need, causing hunger. During the journey, where many obstacles are overcome, the children's thoughts and actions change from individuality to working together, helping each other and sharing fairly. Realizing that hunger is a vital problem for all children, the children increase their struggle against the greedy food thief and his accomplice. Written and directed by Eftal Gülbudak, the play will be on display at Beylikdüzü Rasim Öztekin Stage on March 2.