Buffoon & Grotesque Theatre Workshop – Exploring the Absurd

On June 21-22, 2025, the Danish Cultural Institute Türkiye supported Ruth Lerche, Artistic Director of The Commedia School in Copenhagen, in bringing her acclaimed theatre workshop “Buffon & Grotesk” (Buffoon & Grotesque) to Istanbul.

Organized by NO Theatre and Vajra Theatre, the 16-hour insightful workshop took place at the dance studio Swing Istanbul and invited participants to explore the theatrical territory of Buffoon: a surreal, shape-shifting form of physical satire where performers mock social norms through absurd exaggeration and collective play.

Drawing on the grotesque as an expressive tool, the workshop trained performers in a style where tragedy meets absurdity, where foolish logic is merged with confrontational humor. Buffoons, described as the more intelligent, darker cousins of clowns, form a gang that holds up a mirror to society, provoking laughter, discomfort, and reflection.

Through direct engagement with the audience and the creation of performance-ready material, participants used the tools taught in the workshop to address current social issues in a uniting rather than polarizing way.

As the Danish Cultural Institute Türkiye, we were proud and delighted to support this workshop and bring a corner of Danish theatre to new stages in Turkiye. We thank NO Theatre, Vajra Theatre, and Swing Istanbul for their partnership in cultivating artistic experimentation and cross-cultural dialogue.