Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

The Amsterdam-based theatre company RAST, led by Saban Ol, is composed of actors of Turkish and Kurdish descent. This multicultural aspect is embedded in the company’s name: “rast” is Kurdish for happiness or straight line, in Turkish music, it refers to a scale type, while in Persian, it means truth. The actors link oriental theatre traditions to present-day Western acting techniques, and it’s at this crossroads of cultures that their story comes to life.

Saban Ol created the plot of Tolken together with Eric De Volder of TG Ceremonia. It looks with the refugee issue from the angle of language and communication barriers. Basing themselves on poignant testimonies by interpreters who work in refugee camps and psychiatric hospitals, they created a performance about the absurd reality interpreters live in. When they translate the story of a refugee, they are supposed to play the role of a middle man. Emotional involvement needs to be avoided, even if they feel sorry for the problems and powerlessness of their clients.

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