Cameri Theater of Tel Aviv, a leading Israeli theater company, has canceled a performance in Antalya, Turkey over fears about violent protests related to last year's Gaza Flotilla incident. Anti-Israeli activists had bought tickets and planned to stage a demonstration both outside and inside the hall, Israel’s ambassador in Turkey, Gaby Levy, said, prompting the Cameri Theater to cancel Sunday evening's performance in Antalya. The decision was made after consultations with Embassy security staff, Levy told ‘Israel Radio’. Levy urged the troupe to cancel their play after receiving warnings from Turkish authorities.
Cameri Director Noam Semel told Israel’s ‘Army Radio’ that he had decided to cancel the play because he did not want to endanger the 21-person company. He said he had performed abroad at least 100 times, including in Turkey, and could not "remember an incident like this." Semel told ‘Haaretz’: "People say the show must go on, but unfortunately there are circumstances under which the show must end. It happens when a theater production can cause bloodshed."
The comedy 'Thrill my Heart' by the late Israeli playwright Hanoch Levin was to participate in the second International Antalya Theater Festival, which is being held in the Mediterranean resort town. However, the event coincided with the first anniversary of the raid by Israeli naval commandos in which nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists on board the Mavi Marmara ship were killed. The Turkish passenger ship was part of the ‘Gaza Freedom Flotilla’ which breached Israel’s sea blockade of the Gaza Strip. The incident has dealt a serious blow to Israeli-Turkish relations.
Lead Actor Rami Baruch expressed disappointment at the cancelation. “We are actors and we are familiar with the phrase 'The show must go on.' Suddenly, that has become 'The show must go home,' so it can't be a good feeling,” he said.
