Sefa Kusku
Photo: Markus J. Bachmann
11. November 2024
Director Sefa Küskü about “In Love” at the Orangerie Theater – premiere 11/24
On February 7, 2005, the German-Kurdish Hatun Sürücü was shot by her brother at a bus stop in Berlin-Tempelhof because she had taken off her headscarf and started an apprenticeship. The play development “In Love” by the independent theater ensemble Ct201 takes up the murder of Sürücü and deals with hatred and hope. A conversation with director Sefa Küskü.
choices: Mr. Küskü, your new directorial work “In Love” deals with hate. Has hatred become people’s lowest common denominator?
Sefa Kusku: I want to show human emotions – and hate is definitely one of the extreme ones. Sometimes it seems like hate is the lowest common denominator because it is loud and constantly present. But I don’t think that’s the core of being human, but rather the desire for understanding, closeness and love.
To person:
Sefa Kusku
(born 1997) completed training at the Keller acting school from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, Küskü made his directorial debut with “Homo+” at the free theater ensemble Ct201. Since 2023 he has been a board member of the Ct201 Free Theater Cologne association.
How do you manage to develop a piece about hope in the face of hate and violence?
For me, theater is a space full of possibilities in which we can explore the human experience. It is not easy to create a piece about hope when the world is characterized by suffering and despair. But I don’t see hope as the opposite of despair – it’s an act of perseverance. I want to show on stage that we don’t have to ignore the pain, we have to make it noticeable. That’s why I tell stories in which the characters struggle – with themselves, with their surroundings and their circumstances. Their hope must be hard won. It’s about offering viewers a space without being overwhelmed by despair. For me, hope means recognizing the potential for change.
What importance do politics and religion have in the production?
They play a subtle but defining role. The themes we cover in the play are often deeply rooted in cultural and religious contexts. We don’t want to overemphasize these aspects, but they are part of the stories we tell.
The so-called “honor killing” of Hatun Sürücü, which is discussed in the piece, dates back almost 20 years. What has society learned during this time?
The murder of Hatun Sürücü attracted great media interest at the time and drew greater attention to the issue. But that is far from enough. It needs to be talked about a lot more. It’s important to continue telling stories like Hatun’s. This should not only happen in a theater context, but also in wider society.
The premiere takes place at the Orangerie Theater, which is located in the idyll of the Volkspark in the middle of the southern part of the city. Is the contrast to tragedy intentional?
The Orangerie Theater is a place that is about social dialogue, solidarity and the freedom of art. For these reasons, “In Love” fits there well.
The title is written in lowercase in the announcements. A conscious symbolism?
In the process of development, rarely anything happens by chance. I like to leave the artistic symbolism of the title to the interpretation of the viewer.
They only cast the piece with two actresses. The murderer of Hatun and his accomplices were men. How is their absence explained?
The men’s stories are not relevant to our work in the piece. Rather, it’s about giving women the voices and the space. That’s why I consciously decided to cast two actresses. As someone who is part of marginalized groups myself – queer and migrant – it is extremely important to me to offer unheard voices a platform.
How do you not hate the perpetrators in view of their crimes?
I don’t think it makes sense to focus my energy on the perpetrators. Instead, I prefer to actively engage with Hatun’s experiences and those of other women who are in similar situations. It is important to me to focus on those affected and their stories. Hate is a paralyzing emotion.
With love | November 21st, 22nd, 23rd 8 p.m., November 24th 6 p.m., further dates in 2025 | Orangery Theater | 0221 952 27 07
Interview: Thomas Dahl
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