From the Middle East to Bollywood, Leyla and Mejnun is considered the ultimate love classic. Shakespeare was inspired by this gripping tale when writing Romeo and Juliet. The infatuated Mejnun, “the madman’, cries out in despair and recites the most beautiful poetic lyrics. 

In this adaptation, playwright Dilan Yurdakul takes the audience on an exploration of a love story in which Leyla is given a voice. In Leyla and Mejnun, the path to individuality and autonomy can only be achieved through love: Mejnun stands up for his love and isolates himself, becoming an individual. Such that he no longer needs Leyla. In this version, the roles are reversed, allowing Leyla to finally tell her story after 600 years. 

Dilan introduces us to her radical take on the original and reflects on Leyla from her own perspective. Are her feelings of love and pain recognizable and similar to Dilan’s heartbreak? With new lyrics and a fusion of (Turkish) songs, rap and spoken word, Dilan gives a voice to Leyla. As a woman, what does it mean to fight your autonomy, pull away from your community and walk the path of love? What does it mean to come into your self-awareness as a woman? 

Work in Progress
A Work in Progress is a performance in the making. A performance that is not yet finished, but that the creators would like to share with audiences. As a visitor, you get a peek into the rehearsal room and help artists on their way to a fully-fledged performance, which will premiere in a future edition of O.

‘Without Leyla and Mejnun, there would be no Romeo and Juliet – but who is Leyla, anno now? What if she goes into the desert and finds her own voice. An ultimate love classic where traditional roles are reversed. Full of homesick songs, rap and spoken word.’ – Joyce van Dongen, Head of Programming Theater Zuidplein