“Womanhood Experiences” As A Form Of Resistance Within The Theatre Action Practices

This paper is based on the role of the usage of womanhood experiences as a form of resistance within theatre action practices in terms of women’s construction of awareness and consciousness related to the self, body and identity as well as in terms of the re-production of the ‘meaning’ related to women’s identity by women themselves. Relatedly, the main objective of this research is to investigate and discuss womanhood experiences (which were transmitted into the theatre action practices) both as a form of resistance and as a realm of freedom for women in breaking down patriarchal-based relationships, masculine domination and oppression mechanisms within patriarchal social life. Research questions will be discussed in consideration of data collected from the field research by using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with the participants of Ankara Theatre Oteyuz which has been surviving since 2001. In addition, this information is gathered together with an analysis of Oteyuz whose theatre action practices were coincided with feminism and those practices were based on ‘womanhood experiences’ of its participants