site.btaProf. Mevsim: Centuries of Mutual Coexistence of Bulgarians, Turks Has Cultivated Many Common Features

The centuries-long mutual coexistence of Bulgarians and Turkish people on one geographical area has contributed to the cultivation of many common features in their behavior and mentality, said Prof. Huseyin Mevsim at the presentation of an exhibition at the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) National Press Club in Ankara on Monday with posters of productions of Bulgarian plays in Turkiye, translated by the professor, one of the most famous and thorough popularizers of Bulgarian literature and art in this country.

He did not presume to list everything that brings the two peoples closer and unites them, but in his opinion the greatest crossing seems to be in their true love of the 'seir' (a Bulgarian and Turkish word meaning 'spectacle'), a word common to both languages. "And what is theatre if not a seir," rhetorically asked Prof. Mevsim.

A significant portion of the exhibition is dedicated to posters from various Turkish theatres that have staged works by Stefan Tsanev, who is considered the most frequently performed Bulgarian playwright in Turkiye. These include Mystery with a Horse, Everybody Crazy Loves Me, and The Other Death of Joan of Arc.

Among the featured productions are Roman Bath by Stanislav Stratiev, Lazaritsa by Yordan Radichkov, I’m Paying by Yves Jamiaque, directed by Vladlen Alexandrov, The Murder of Gonzago by Nedyalko Yordanov, and two plays by Hristo Boychev: Orchestra Titanic and The Colonel’s Wife.