Is Shakspere Shakespeare?

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Is Shakspere Shakespeare?

Location : London, UK

Venue : Wilton’s Music Hall, Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, Shadwell E1 8JB

After a sold-out run in Istanbul, Turkish playwright and actress Ege Maltepe brings her acclaimed play to London—now in English.

What do we really know about Shakespeare? A mysterious genius, we are told, who rose from modest beginnings in a small town to become the greatest writer in world literature. But is that story so simple? Or even believable?

Is Shakspere Shakespeare? begins with a historical controversy. It explores the socio-political forces behind the name “Shakespeare.” It asks why an artist’s identity might be concealed—and what that reveals about art and power in a colonised and industrialised world.

The play unfolds in a witty and philosophical courtroom inspired by Plato’s cave. It is guided by an original character, a playful figure, “Madam Art” alongside appearances from iconic Shakespearean characters and English queens.

A Fulbright scholar, Maltepe studied with Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols in New York. She later gained recognition in New York’s theatre scene through her original plays and theatrical concerts with pianist Emir Gamsız. She also introduced the improvisational acting technique “Spolin”  to Türkiye, helping spark a new movement in theatre.

Following the tradition of her first mentor, legendary theatre artist Ferhan Şensoy, Maltepe writes, directs, and performs the piece herself. She embodies eight characters, seamlessly. The audience soon forgets it is a solo play.

With classical music woven into its dramaturgy—and acclaimed pianist Emir Gamsız at the piano—the performance invites audiences to re-think history, authorship, and the true power of art.