Cosmic Fear, or The Day Brad Pitt Got Paranoia

On April 2, 2025, Cosmic Fear, or The Day Brad Pitt Got Paranoia by Danish playwright Christian Lollike premiered at Moda Stage Theatre in Istanbul. Directed by Kemal Aydoğan, the Turkish production brought Lollike’s darkly comic vision of climate catastrophe and collective paranoia to life. With its sharp satire and absurdist tone, the play offered a provocative reflection on environmental collapse, media spectacle, and celebrity culture.

The production is the result of a two-year collaboration between the Danish Cultural Institute Türkiye and GalataPerform. The play was first introduced to Turkish audiences in 2022 as a reader’s theater at the New Text Theatre Festival, Türkiye’s first festival dedicated to playwriting, where it was translated and presented under the theme “Theater Beyond Borders.” Following its staged reading, the script was published by Habitus Kitap, paving the way for its full theatrical realization at Moda Stage Theatre.

The premiere was met with enthusiasm, to the credit of the play’s daring themes and inventive staging. With strong performances and bold direction, the production captures both the absurdity and urgency of the current ecological and social state of the world.

As the Danish Cultural Institute Türkiye, we are proud to have supported this long-term artistic journey. From translation to publication to performance, Cosmic Fear reflects the strength of international cultural exchange and the role of theater in addressing global issues.

We are grateful to have collaborated with GalataPerform and Moda Stage Theatre in bringing Christian Lollike’s work to Turkish audiences. Through such projects, we remain committed to creative innovation and dialogue between Denmark and Türkiye.