By Heidi Trautmann

‘As a punishment, the very clever King Sisyphus, too clever for many (in the old Greek days I mean),  was made to roll a huge boulder up a steep hill. Before he could reach the top, however, the massive stone would always roll back down, forcing him to begin again.’

It is this myth that Yaşar Ersoy uses to announce the opening of the 10^th Theatre Festival with, and those who have been following up the hair rising story of the last months and which is not over with yet, for example about a theatre promised and built but kind of vanishing...down the hill...

He says: “During the 43 years of Turkish Cypriot Theatre I have been going through the pains of Sisyphus of pushing the theatre up the hill and just the moment when I think I have made it something happens to defeat my efforts and hopes, our hopes and efforts, because my colleagues were just as much involved.”

Nevertheless, we will have the Theatre Festival again this year, thanks to all their effort, and thanks to the sponsors; I spoke to one of them, Mehmet Sepeb (HolleOrganik): “It was not clear until the very last moment, if we can pull it through but with the joint support we managed. And I am very happy about it.” So am I.

The “Kibris Tiyatro Festivali” as it shouts from the many yellow Sisyphus posters around the island and in newspapers, will be THE EVENT again with excellent theatre companies as the Adana State Theatre, Oyun Studio Theatre, Ankara State Theatre, Dostlar Theatre, Ankara Art Theatre and Pera Theatre.

Performances to dream of, high quality theatre. I am telling you, I am looking forward to this month of September.

I heard voices saying that North Cypriot theatres could have been involved more in the festival...let’s put it this way and with my and with the words of Yaşar Ersoy: “I want Cypriot people to see high quality professional theatre; with our own theatre companies, be it professional or private and amateur, we can still prove that we are just as good or very close to it for the rest of the year...Right after the festival we will continue with our own programme...” I think this is the right attitude.

The story of Sisyphus goes into more detail as follows, as I read in old legends books:

‘The maddening nature of the punishment was reserved for King Sisyphus due to his hubristic belief that his cleverness surpassed that of Zeus Himself.’

Sponsors of the event are:

-Golden Tulip Hotel, Nicosia

-Telsim/Sanat

-Near East University

-Lefkoşa Belediye Calişanlari Tasarrufu Koop Ltd.

-K.T.Tabibler Birligi’nin,

-Holle Organik’in

-Aşok Ltd

Published in Cyprus Observer Aug 25