Benerci Kendini Niçin Öldürdü? (Why Did Benerji Kill Himself?

Co-presented by Öykülü Geceler (Story Nights)
Written by Nazim Hikmet
Directed and performed by Cem Baza
Assistant Director: Elif Özmenek

Friday, April 29, 2005
8:00 pm

Saturday, April 30, 2005
8:00 pm

Kraine Theater
85 East 4th Street
(between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)
New York, NY 10003

Tickets: $10

This reading will be presented in Turkish.

For tickets please click the BUY button or call (212) 229-1207.

Nazim Hikmet’s Benerci Kendini Niçin Öldürdü?(Why did Benerji Kill Himself?) is an ode to an Indian freedom-fighter who became an object of both betrayal and heroism in the long struggle against British imperialism. Written between 1930 and 1932, this tragic tale captures Benerji’s dilemma of being both an outsider and insider in India during a period of intense turmoil. Published in book form, the poem also reflects Hikmet’s efforts to shed light on contemporaneous struggles within the nascent democracy movement in Turkey in the 1930s.

For this production, directors Cem Baza and Elif Özmenek take a unique approach, combining theater and film techniques to include both stage reading and acting. According to Baza and Özmenek, they decided to produce the reading within “Öykülü Geceler” because of the series’ commitment to Turkish poetry and literature and for the opportunity to present one of Hikmet’s poetic masterpieces to New York audiences.

This program is presented as a part of Moon and Stars Project’s Community Project Grants program, which awards grants to projects of high standards in order to encourage local artistic efforts and initiatives in the Turkish-American community.