Otherness and censorship in the theatre of Turkey (1960s-70s)

This chapter delves into the relationship between censorship and 'otherness', examining three plays across distinct political epochs from the multi-party period of 1945-60 to the post-coup regimes of 1960 and 1971, marked by democratic transitions and restricted liberties Musa Anter's Birîna Reş (1959), recognised as the first Kurdish play on Republican history, encountered state prohibition and confiscation in 1965. Erol Toy's Pir Sultan Abdal (1968), centered on the Alevi folk poet, faced a ban exclusively in Tunceli, a city predominantly inhabited by Alevis, amidst violent events resulting in a civilian's death. Deprem ve Zulüm (1977), a collaborative piece by the Revolutionary Ankara Art Theatre, explores the aftermath of a 1976 earthquake in Van, a Kurdish-dominated city. These plays share a commonality in addressing the concept of the 'Other' and were censored under the accusation of promoting separatism, thereby violating constitutional norms. By scrutinising these cases, the chapter aims to unravel the dynamics between artistic expression, political climates, and the imposition of censorship, shedding light on how the theme of 'otherness' becomes entangled in the suppression of voices across diverse socio-political contexts.