What now?

What now?

Are you gone or are you back? That's what many people have been asking themselves lately. All I have announced is that I will end one phase of my life and begin a new one.

By Serdar Somuncu
My time as a comedian and cabaret artist is finally over and when I go on stage, it's only as an actor. I have explained often enough that I no longer believe that hiding behind irony and sarcasm is an appropriate means of the times, but that we need nothing more than an honest word at the right time. This means that we artists also constantly question ourselves, renew ourselves and try to change our means in order to align them with goals that deserve to be viewed critically.
In recent years, especially due to the turning point of the Corona period, it has not been easy to carry out this realignment. It is difficult to be creative in the existential struggle for survival. You only take care of what is necessary. You try to hold your breath and stay under water until the waves have calmed down and you can surface again. That's why it was like a relief for me to be able to resume and complete the postponed tours. But in my mind I had already moved on. Because I knew that our society was at an important crossroads. This crossroads is not only the increasingly clear division of society into extremes, but it is also a distance from the thought patterns of the past towards simple and practical solutions that seem to offer a way out of the crises of this world.
But this is just an escape into pragmatism. In reality, the world's crises require an equally complex response, as well as research into their causes in order to develop solutions that are more than just short-term supplies and alleviation of the situation.
I now see myself in different roles and positions. I want to be a mediator at the same time, but also remain someone who expresses his opinion, no matter how unpleasant it is. I want to try to stand up for myself even more and recognize when I'm fulfilling the orders of the wrong people and be able to reject them without fear. This page is a first step towards that. Together with many creative people who are committed to the same idea, we want to offer an alternative to conventional sources. Maybe we won't always be neutral, but above all we will try to remain independent. Other opinions should also have their place here.
It's not about spreading ideological principles, but rather about dealing with the arguments that the other side can sometimes have. You are all cordially invited to take part. We welcome every contribution and suggestion, as well as criticism and support. Maybe in the end we will be able to build something together that is created on our own and can survive without being dependent on it.
I may no longer stand for this vision of a free art that can assert itself confidently and confidently on stage, but I do it all the more in life.

02/05/24
*Serdar Somuncu is an actor and director
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